The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared that an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples is likely over.
“This outbreak appears to be over,” CDC stated in the agency’s Feb. 12 final update on the outbreak. “However, recalled products may still be in people’s homes. Consumers unaware of the recalls could continue to eat the products and get sick.”
Between October and January, 35 people in 12 states were sickened. Of these, 34 people were hospitalized and Listeriosis contributed to at least three of seven deaths reported.
Twenty-eight of the 31 ill people interviewed reported eating commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples before becoming ill.
Eleven illnesses were pregnancy-related (occurred in a pregnant woman or her newborn infant), with one illness resulting in a fetal loss. And there were three invasive illnesses (meningitis) in otherwise healthy children aged 5-15 years.
The Public Health Agency of Canada also identified two cases of Listeriosis in Canada with the same PFGE patterns as those seen in the U.S. outbreak. More detailed testing using whole-genome sequencing showed that the isolate from only one of the two cases was genetically related to the U.S. outbreak. That person reported eating a caramel apple.
On Jan. 6, Bidart Bros. of Bakersfield, CA, voluntarily recalled Granny Smith and Gala apples because environmental testing revealed contamination with Listeria at the firm’s apple-packing facility. On Jan. 18, FDA laboratory analyses using whole genome sequencing showed that these Listeria isolates were highly related to the outbreak strains.
Three companies that produce caramel apples issued voluntary recalls after receiving notice from Bidart Bros. that there may be a connection between Bidart Bros. apples and this Listeriosis outbreak.
On Dec. 24, Happy Apple Company of Washington, MO, voluntarily recalled Happy Apples brand caramel apples with a best use by date between Aug. 25 and Nov. 23, 2014, and later expanded the recall to include Kroger brand caramel apples produced by Happy Apple Company with a best use by date between Sept. 15 and Nov. 18, 2014.
On Dec. 27, California Snack Foods voluntarily recalled Karm’l Dapple brand caramel apples with a best use by date between Aug. 15 and Nov. 28, 2014. On Dec. 29, Merb’s Candies of St. Louis, MO, issued a voluntary recall of Merb’s Candies Bionic Apples and Double Dipped Apples that would have been available from Sept. 8 through Nov. 25, 2014.
The outbreak topped the Food Safety News list of the worst U.S. foodborne illness outbreaks of 2014 because it was the year’s most deadly and because caramel apples were an unexpected source. While illnesses first appeared in mid-October, public health officials didn’t trace the outbreak back to store-bought, prepackaged caramel apples until mid-December.
