US Justice Department probes Blue Bell listeria outbreak

WASHINGTON (KTRK) -- The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into the deadly listeria outbreak at Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Federal investigators want to know just how much Blue Bell executives knew about the listeria outbreak in the company's plants.

The contamination was linked to three deaths and multiple other illnesses.

The company recalled all of its products back in April in response to the outbreak.

Blue Bell resumed ice cream production in July, and its products started returning to stores in August.