Palm Beach Students Served Apple Snacks That Were Later Recalled

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on September 16, 2015

Employees at Palm Beach County Schools are monitoring students closely for any signs of food poisoning following a recall of apple slices served to public school students as part of student lunches. The Snack Fresh apple slices, packaged by Appeeling Fruit, were recalled Sept. 9th after a countertop tested positive for listeria in a production area. The company is urging customers to discard or return unused apples. No bacteria was found on any of the apples at the packaging plant.

Listeria is a dangerous bacteria and symptoms of a listeria infection include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, headaches and high fever. Children and older adults are especially susceptible to listeria infections, as is anyone with a compromised immune system. Pregnant mothers and their unborn fetuses are also at risk, as over 80% of listeria infections in pregnant women result in death for the fetus. 20-30% of overall clinical listeria infections result in death. Listeria is an anaerobic bacteria that can live for long periods on dry surfaces and can grow at low temperatures, unlike most bacteria. Listeria can be killed by cooking food to safe temperatures or through pasteurization.

School officials stressed that there are protocols in place for food recall issues such as this, and that protocols were followed once it became known that a recall was in place. The district director of food services reaffirmed that the safety of the students was the district’s top priority. Part of that commitment is communicating to parents that the recall was in place and that steps had been taken to prevent risks to student health. No cases of listeria have been reported to date in Palm Beach County according to the Department of Health.

If you or someone you love has been the victim of food poisoning caused by a food manufacturer, please call the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587).

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.