California Apple Plant and Listeria
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, as long as the apple is not one of the apples from a California plant recently connected to a deadly listeria outbreak, according to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). The subject plant apple processing plant in question is Bidart Brothers near Bakersfield, California. The main apples affected were those apples made into packaged caramel apples, products often purchased and frozen for later. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned consumers to avoid eating any prepackaged caramel apples, whether plain or with nuts, sprinkles, or chocolate, even if frozen.
The listeria outbreak claimed the lives of seven through December 2014, with thirty-two the initial report of those becoming ill from the apples in eleven states. Listeria is worst for the elderly, pregnant females, newborns, and individual with compromised immune systems. The symptoms that occur with the potentially deadly infection include headache, fever, muscle aches, confusion, and convulsions. Since some of these symptoms occur with flus and the like, it would be beneficial to alert your medical provider if you have them and you have consumed pre-packaged caramel apples or Granny Smith or Gala apples from the Bidart Bros. plant.
Bidart Bros. did do an immediate, voluntary recall of their subject apples and are a family-owned tradition with the good intention of thwarting the outbreak. If you or someone you know was affected by listeria possibly related to consumption of apples, do not hesitate to contact Inserra & Kelley to see whether you may have remedy against personal damages incurred due to the infection.