Former Blue Bell Workers: Management Ignored Complaints Of Unsanitary Conditions

Former Blue Bell employees told CBS News that management ignored complaints about conditions at its Texas plant.

This plant was linked to a deadly outbreak of listeria. During the outbreak, ten people became sick and three died. The company recalled eight million gallons of ice cream this past spring. Now Blue Bell Ice Cream workers are speaking out.

A man who operated a machine at the Texas factory told CBS News there was a number of times he would walk in and, "ice cream would be all over the floor." He said stopping to clean the ice cream would slow down production and it pooled on the floor.

10/1/2015 Related Story: Blue Bell Re-Enters Oklahoma Market In November

Another worker in a separate part of the plant said he was told to pour ice cream and fruit juice that dropped off a machine into barrels of ice cream mix to be used later.

Both workers also said water was everywhere in the plant which is what listeria needs to thrive.

In May, Blue Bell announced layoffs, including these two workers. Blue Bell told CBS News that pending litigation prevented them from addressing the report.

This story is just one in a series on Blue Bell.