The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now confirmed that the Listeria outbreak that has sickened at least 32, and been linked to 7 deaths, originated from the Bidart Brothers apple processing plant. Both Granny Smith and Gala Apples are implicated, and many of the apples may have been disseminated without bearing the Bidart name. So far, the evidence suggests that caramel covered apples have been the primary source of Listeriosis among the victims, but all apples processed at this plant are being recalled, as the apples are the sole common element in the caramel apples linked to the illnesses by local, state, and federal health investigators. The last shipment of Bidart apples was made in December of 2014, and no additional shipments will be made pending the outcome of this investigation. Consumers are encouraged to ask retailers the source of their Gala and Granny Smith apples prior to consuming if unknown.
Among the brands of caramel covered apples implicated in his outbreak are Happy Apples, California Snack Foods, and Merb’s Candies, all of which relied upon Bidart Brothers to provide the apples they would use to make caramel apples. There may be other manufacturers implicated.
“This is conclusive evidence,” says Ron Simon, one of the nation’s leading food safety lawyers who is representing victims in this outbreak. “Often we rely on trace-back investigations to determine the source of a Listeria outbreak, but here we have more than that. We have laboratory confirmed epidemiological evidence that the exact two strains of Listeria that are making people ill, and in some cases leading to death or the loss of an unborn child, originated at Bidart Brothers. These samples came from both Bidart’s own facility and from apples they had shipped to customers.” But this is only the beginning, says Simon, noting “we still have to find out how these manufacturers of caramel apples failed to sanitize or test these apples before using them in a ready-to-eat product like caramel covered apples.” Ron Simon, attorney for a number of the victims in this outbreak, will be spending a great deal of time doing just that – determining how this Listeria outbreak happened and why so any individuals got sick.
If you or a loved one was sickened after eating Gala or Granny Smith apples, you should seek medical attention immediately, and Listeriosis is a serious and potentially deadly disease. For more information, contact the attorneys at Ron Simon & Associates at 1-888-335-4901.
