Appeeling Fruit Inc. of Dauberville, PA, has been informed by one of its customers that some of its Snack Fresh brand 2-oz. bagged red apple slices with Best-if-Used-by date 09/21/15 and production date 310815, which were recalled on Wednesday, Sept. 9, due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination, may have been distributed to schools in Florida’s Palm Beach County School District. According to this customer, Florida’s Palm Beach County School District was notified on Sept. 9 of the recall and individual schools were notified that morning. Also according to this customer, 360 cases of the 400 cases that it picked up at the Appeeling Fruit facility on Sept. 2 have been retrieved and destroyed, and more cases are in the process of being returned. For this reason, the company stated that is unclear exactly how much of the remaining 40 cases may have been distributed in the Florida Palm Beach County School District and was trying to make sure that parents were aware of the recall. Parents of children in Florida’s Palm Beach County School District: Snack Fresh brand is common in Florida schools. The recalled 2-oz. bagged Snack Fresh product can be identified by three sets of numbers on the back of the Snack Fresh bag: 1) the Best-if-Used-by date is 09/21/15, 2) the UPC code under the black bars is 74641 00982, and 3) the production date, or first six numbers under the “Product of USA” stamp, is 310815. All three sets of numbers on the 2-oz. Snack Fresh bag must match these in order to identify the recalled product. Anyone who has recalled product in their possession should not consume it and should dispose of it properly, the company stated. Consumers with questions may contact the company’s consumer information desk at 1-866-873-0468, or visit its website. Appeeling Fruit has not been informed to date about any illnesses linked to this recall, according to the statement, and was unaware of any other recalled products distributed to schools. A complete list of products recalled on Sept. 9 can be found here. The recall was initiated after the company was informed that an environmental sample taken in the production facility as part of an internal routine sampling program tested positive for the bacteria. Subsequent test results from the facility have been negative. “Even though the recalled Snack Fresh sliced red apples that went to Florida Palm Beach County schools was included in our original September 9 recall announcement, and we know that the school district promptly notified individual schools that may have received product, we are issuing this additional notification to ensure that parents and students know about that recall,” said Steve Cygan, president of Appeeling Fruit. “We are also working closely with health officials to ensure that the recall is carried in the most effective and efficient manner possible.” Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

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