A third candy maker has recalled caramel apples that could be contaminated with the food poisoning bacteria Listeria, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
The FDA said St. Louis-based Merb’s Candies was recalling the treats because they’d bought apples from a California-based supplier that might be the source for an outbreak of Listeria that’s made 30 people sick in 10 states and killed five. California Snack Foods and Missouri-based Happy Apple have also recalled caramel apples.
Listeria can cause a nasty stomach ache but it can kill the very young, very old and people with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that Listeria makes 1,600 people sick every year in the U.S. and kills 260 of them.
IN-DEPTH:
- Company Recalls Caramel Apples
- Caramel Apples Linked to Five Deaths
- One Dead, Seven Sickened in Listeria Outbreak
-- Maggie Fox
