Merb’s Candies of St. Louis, Missouri, issued a caramel apple recall after learning one of its apple suppliers, Bidart Brothers, has been implicated in a Listeria outbreak that has sickened 29 people in 10 states. This is the third caramel apple recall in December of 2014. Other recalls include Happy Apples and California Snack Foods Karm’l Dapples. All of the recalls involved apples supplied by Bidart Brothers.
The Merb’s Candies caramel apples were labeled “Bionic Apple” and “Double Dipped” and sold from September 8th through November 25th 2014 (dates are estimates). These products had no identifying lot codes. Below are images of the wrappers:
5 people in Missouri were sickened in the Listeria outbreak linked to prepackaged caramel apples. These people have the right to seek compensation. Several newborn babies and children were sickened in this outbreak. Their parents can seek compensation for them by filing a lawsuit on their behalf.
Listeria is the most dangerous foodborne pathogen because the bacteria easily move from one kind of cell to another, wreaking havoc on the body. The most common path is for Listeria bacteria in food to colonize in the intestines causing gastroenteritis. The bacteria then move to the liver, and from there to the blood, which can transport the bacteria to the brain, heart and other organs. Many Listeria food poisoning victims have brain injuries or die from Listeria meningitis. In this outbreak, children developed meningitis, which is highly unusual.
Bionic Apples and Double Dipped Apples were sold at St. Louis area local supermarkets (in the produce section) and sold nationwide via mail orders. The recall was issued after Bidart Brothers, who is one of Merb’s Candies apple suppliers, initiated a recall of its processed apples because of a possible connection between the apples supplied to Merb’s Candies and the Listeria outbreak linked to prepackaged caramel apples.