The Department of Justice has started an investigation into Blue Bell after a deadly listeria outbreak killed three people.
According to CBS News, the DOJ alleges that as early as 2013 the company was aware that at least one plant was contaminated.
An FDA investigation uncovered other problems, including condensation dripping directly into ice cream and unsanitary equipment.
Blue Bell shut down all three production facilities in Texas, Alabama and Oklahoma in April and all ice cream was recalled after its treats were linked to 10 listeria cases, including three deaths in Kansas. Listeria bacteria can cause serious illness, especially in older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
The DOJ said it's trying to find out what the management of Blue Bell knew regarding potentially deadly hazards in their plants and when they knew it.
Blue Bell sales resumed in stores in Texas and across the south in the fall.