Safeway (Photo : Reuters)
Due to the outbreak of listeriosis in 10 states, two brands of caramel apples were recalled, which are Happy Apple of Washington, Missouri-based Happy Apple Co. and Karm'l Dapples of California Snack Foods.
In a statement, Happy Apple Co. said that there was a report from Bidart Brothers, one of the apple suppliers to its California facility, about the possible connection between the listeria outbreak and the apples it had supplied, SF Gate reported.
The Happy Apple brand caramel apples are being recalled in 31 states.
Bidart Brothers also notified California Snack Foods, which it also supplies with apples. Currently, California Snack Foods is voluntarily recalling all styles of its brand Karm'l Dapples caramel apples due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
Sold in single packs and three packs, the Karm'l Dapples caramel apples being recalled are those that have a "best use by" date between Aug.15 and Nov. 28. of this year. The "best use by" date can been seen on the front of the label of each package.
The Karm'l Dapples caramel apples affected by the recall were sold usually in the produce section of grocery, discount, and club stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, and Utah, Food Poisoning Bulletin reported.
Consumers are still being advised by the Food and Drug Administration not to eat commercially produced and pre-packed whole caramel apples.
Meanwhile, the family of an 81-year-old Felton woman Shirlee Frey who got infected with Listeria bacteria and died of it earlier in December is suing Safeway, which also has recently pulled its caramel apples from its shelves.
In a civil lawsuit filed in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, the family blames the caramel apples bought from the Safari grocery store for the death. The husband of the woman James Frey is seeking unspecified medical and other damages in the wrongful death case, Mercury News has learned.
