Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Health Law Blogs -> Food Safety News

Health Law

: Food Safety News

Florida's Marjon Warns Apples Carry Listeria

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

Florida's Marjon Specialty Foods Inc., based in Plant City, has recalled 119 cases of sliced apples after a sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

Recalled are apples packaged in 2 oz. single serving packages by Marjon Specialty Foods Inc. with used by dates of 7-20-10 and 7-21-10.

The recalled apples were sold to three Florida food service distributors for further sales to institutional and food service establishments.  Those buyers may in turn have removed the apples from their original package.  In a statement Marjon claims those products have been successfully accounted for and destroyed by customers.

No illnesses have been associated with this recall.

Production was briefly halted by Marjon, which is working with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  The Agriculture Department conducted an inspection on July 6 and cleared Marjon to resume production.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.  Listeria infection also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Marjon Specialty Foods, Inc. took immediate precautionary measures to protect public health by requesting that the three distributors involved locate, recall, and destroy all product involved in this recall. The distributors acted promptly to gather the product being recalled.

For additional details, please contact Marjon Specialty Foods, Inc. at 813-752-3482, M-F 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST.

Full post as published by Food Safety News on July 13, 2010 (boomark / email).