Bidart Brothers has recalled all Gala and Granny Smith apples shipped from its Shafter, CA, packing facility during 2014. This action came Jan. 6 in a letter from the company to its customers, which stated that tests conducted Dec. 23, 2014, on its apple packing production line had confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled apples have been sold under the brand names Granny’s Best and Big B (although they may have been sold under other brands or even no brand) and have been linked to the Listeria outbreak related to caramel apples. That outbreak, according to a Jan. 8 update from CDC, has sickened at least 32 people in 11 states, hospitalized 31 of them, and contributed to 3 of 6 reported deaths. Meanwhile, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has updated its recall warning from Dec. 24 about Happy Apples brand Caramel Apples to include additional product information. And the Minnesota Department of Agriculture issued an advisory on Jan. 9 about caramel apples produced in Minnesota in 2014 using Bidart Brothers apples which have now been recalled. Industry is recalling from the marketplace Granny Smith apples and Gala apples exported by Bidart Bros. in the United States due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Identified importers of the recalled products include Beauvais Ltee. and Courchesne Larose, with distribution in Ontario and Quebec. Recalled products were also imported by and sold at Coosemans Montreal Inc., in Montreal, Quebec. Consumers should not consume, and retailers, restaurants and institutions should not sell or use the recalled products described below.

Recalled products

Brand Name Common Name Size Code(s) on Product UPC Additional Info
Big B Granny Smith Apples* All All production in 2014 None *Only apples exported by Bidart Bros. are affected by this recall. Recalled products may have been sold under other brand names besides the one identified or without a brand name at all, such as in bulk. If you are unsure as to whether products are included in this recall, contact the location where they were purchased.
Big B Gala Apples* All All production in 2014 None *Only apples exported by Bidart Bros. are affected by this recall. Recalled products may have been sold under other brand names besides the one identified or without a brand name at all, such as in bulk. If you are unsure as to whether products are included in this recall, contact the location where they were purchased.
Granny’s Best Granny Smith Apples* All All production in 2014 None *Only apples exported by Bidart Bros. are affected by this recall. Recalled products may have been sold under other brand names besides the one identified or without a brand name at all, such as in bulk. If you are unsure as to whether products are included in this recall, contact the location where they were purchased.

  Check to see if you have recalled products. Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased. If you are unsure as to whether products are included in this recall, contact the location where they were purchased. Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth. In severe cases of illness, people may die. This recall was triggered by a recall initiated by the U.S. producer, which may be related to a foodborne illness outbreak. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is working with its federal partners, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada, and the United States Food and Drug Administration and is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products.