Attorney
Have you purchased a caramel apple recently? You may want to check with the manufacturer to make sure they are not part of a nationwide recall linked to an outbreak of listeriosis, which has allegedly killed six victims.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in addition to the deaths, 32 people have become infected with the deadly bacterium in 11 states, including Arizona, California, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
The listeriosis outbreak started last fall, and involves Granny Smith and Gala apples, provided to candy manufacturers by Bidart Brothers Apple Packing of Shafter, California.
As of last week, Happy Apple Company of Washington, Missouri, California Snack Foods of El Monte, California and Merb’s Candies of St. Louis, Missouri issued voluntary recalls of their caramel apples.
However, there have been dozens of other brands linked to the contaminated apples. Because of this, the CDC is warning consumers who may have bought caramel apples with toppings like nuts, chocolate or sprinkles not to eat them until an investigation is completed.
It should be noted that listeriosis is a rare infection that kills only 260 people annually, according to the CDC. The agency reported that people at high risk for infection include adults 65 years or older, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.
Can I File a Lawsuit Following a Food Illness Incident?
Remember, if you are ever injured by a defective product and/or contaminated food, you can file a personal injury lawsuit.
Any company that puts out a product that is ingested by the public should make sure its safety is excellent. By filing a lawsuit against a manufacturer over a defective product, you can make sure that it is held liable.
For more information about defective and recalled products, you can visit our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis LLP
Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia Injury Attorneys