At my nearby Shell Station Convenience Store, I bought a pre-packed 1/2 gallon of my favorite flavor, chocolate-chip. That night, I got a bite of what I first thought was a large slice of chocolate while enjoying the ice cream. I search around the carton after chewing and swallowing what-ever it is. What I noticed (within the top 3/4 of the carton) was something shaped like a part of Tootsie Roll that was dark 'off-white'. It was approximately 3/8" round, barrel shaped and about 1/2" long. I pulled out two bits of whatever it was, and washed them away in cold water. I discovered a dark brown colored center running the length of these cylinders upon closer inspection. The item has the consistency and a pretty bland taste of modeling clay. I'm trying to figure out what this is, but in the meantime, the carton is in my freezer and I warned my wife against eating some more of it.