Two incidents of suspicious activity were reported to University Police Thursday, involving Penn State favorite Berkey Creamery Ice Cream.
According to the reports, the incidents took place in the Food Science Building, home of the famous Penn State Creamery ice cream, from July 27 through August 8.
A visitor and an employee reported finding “foreign material” in the ice cream, according to the reports.
“These incidents are currently under investigation,” Assistant Police Chief Bill Moerschbacher wrote in an email.
He said since there is an ongoing investigation, he cannot release any more information.
If any arrests of those involved in the incidents are made, University Police will make an announcement, Moerschbacher said.
Deliberately tampering with food is a federal offense, according to a Penn State Live press release on the incidents today.
According to the release, Penn State officials have asked the Food and Drug Administration to investigate four recent reports of foreign material found in half-gallon containers of ice cream sold at the Penn State Creamery.
According to the release, a penny was discovered in a container of Creamery ice cream in May. University Police and Creamery Officials investigated this incident and considered it “an isolated occurrence,” according to the release.
After this incident, Penn State officials continued to monitor the situation, according to the release. However, three more incidents of finding foreign objects such as plastic were reported.
University officials have concluded that the foreign material found in the containers of numerous flavors of Creamery ice cream did not come from any of the manufacturing equipment, according to the release.
"We have involved police and the FDA investigative unit. We are now taking steps to further limit access to the ice cream ingredients and finished ice cream at various points within the Creamery, such as warehouse and ingredient storage, and food production areas," Tom Palchak, manager of the Berkey Creamery, said according to the press release.
FDA Spokeswoman Patricia El-Hinnawy said she could not confirm whether the FDA was investigating the incidents. She said if there is an investigation in regard to the incidents at Penn State, keeping information confidential during an open investigation is a standard that the FDA takes very seriously.
