Grocery chain operator Kroger Co. (KR) said Thursday that it has voluntarily decided to withdraw unrefrigerated caramel apples from its stores due to concerns about listeria.
Kroger took the decision due to new scientific evidence that caramel apples pierced with dipping sticks may be at risk for listeriosis if left unrefrigerated. The company is acting with abundance of caution after reviewing a study published online by the American Society of Microbiology.
However, the company noted that no illnesses have been reported in connection with these products. The Kroger family of stores has pulled these products from shelves as well as distribution centers and disposed of them.
Dr. Payton Pruett, Kroger's vice president of food safety, said the company is open to carrying these products again in the future and will work with suppliers to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.
Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. It causes short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFM) said last week that it is recalling some of its cut, wrapped and weighed Papillon organic Roquefort cheese due to the potential risk of listeria contamination. A routine sampling by the FDA found listeria monocytogenes in a whole, uncut wheel of the cheese.
In early October, branded consumer foods maker General Mills Inc. (GIS) announced a voluntary recall of a limited quantity of frozen Cascadian Farm Cut Green Beans as a precaution after one package of finished product tested positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.
KR closed Thursday's trading at $37.07, up $0.74 or 2.04 percent on a volume of 14.99 million shares.
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