Listeria Detection Forces Recall of Apple Slices at McDonald’s and Burger King

According to The Huffington Post, Listeria monocytogenes has been detected on equipment used to produce apple products by Missa Bay LLC, owned by Ready Pac Foods Inc, of Swedesboro, NJ.

The affected apple products have been distributed to numerous fast-food and grocery chains across the country, including McDonald’s and Burger King, who purchase apple slices from Ready Pac Foods Inc. Additionally, packaged fruit, veggies, salads, and sandwiches containing the infected apples were distributed to Wawas and Wegmans. Apple and fruit snacks with a label of “Ready Pac” and apple salad kits with a label of “Safeway Farm’s” are also among the infected products distributed.

All of the infected apple products have use by dates of July 8 through August 20, 2012.

Although there have been no reported illnesses to date, consuming Listeria monocytogenes can result in a bacterial infection in the body known as Listeriosis. Listeriosis is typically not a life threatening infection for healthy individuals, but children, the elderly, and individuals with weak immune systems are at a higher risk of developing a severe infection. Pregnant women are also at a greater risk, and the infection may cause premature labor, a miscarriage, or an infection to the newborn.

“Listeria monocytogenes can cause symptoms that include chills, fever, muscle aches, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting,” states Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., EMSL’s Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences. “Our company headquarters, in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, is one of the nation’s leading food testing laboratories and provides quality food testing services for pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes.”

For more information about EMSL’s food testing division, please contact EMSL at 800-220-3675, info@EMSL.com , or visit www.EMSL.com or www.foodtestinglab.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical

(1) 1-800-220-3675

jfrasca@emsl.com