Minnesota health officials say two people died and two others became ill this fall after eating prepackaged caramel apples contaminated with the bacterium listeria.
The Minnesota Departments of Health and Agriculture are warning consumers to wait for more information before eating any prepackaged, commercially produced caramel apples. Officials are concerned some people may have purchased them and still have them in their homes.
A news release says federal health officials are investigating the “multi-state” listeriosis outbreak. Other states affected weren’t immediately listed.
The four people who became ill in Minnesota in late October and November were between 59 and 90 years old. All four were hospitalized.
The news release said the Minnesota cases involved caramel apples purchased from Cub Foods, Kwik Trip, and Mike’s Discount Foods, which carried Carnival brand and Kitchen Cravings brand caramel apples. The two brands are no longer available at retail stores, said the release.
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No illnesses related to the outbreak have so far been linked to apples that are not caramel-coated and not prepackaged.
Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with listeria and usually affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems.
