Missa Bay, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ready Pzc Foods Inc of New Jersey is recalling 293,488 cases and 296,224 individually distributed units of fruit, vegetable, and sandwich products containing apples because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The products have use-by dates of July 8, 2012 through August 20, 2012. The recall is being issued because Listeria bacteria were found on equipment used by Missa Bay to produce apple products and other products.
You can see the long list of retail products, along with use-by dates and UPC numbers, that are being recalled at the FDA site. They include items as diverse as Burger King and McDonalds fresh apple slices, Snack Pac apples, Super Fruit Medley, Sweet Sunshine Platter, fruit trays, baby carrots, red grapes, chicken sandwiches, and salads. The products were distributed to retailers and foodservice operators in these states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Washington D.C., Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Retailers should check their shelves and inventories for these products and remove them. Consumers who may have purchased these products should discard them and contat the Ready Pac Consumer Affairs Department at 800-800-7822 Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT for a refund.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause a serious illness in pregnant women and those in high risk groups. The bacteria has an incubation period of up to 70 days, which means that anyone who ate the contaminated products in August may not become ill until October. The symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, GI symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea, and stiff neck. Pregnant women usually have a mild illness, but the bacteria can cause miscarriages and stillbirth. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the consumption of these products.
