Ready Pac Foods Inc. recalls apples

NEW YORK (AP) - Ready Pac Foods Inc. is recalling apple slices and pieces that were sold at fast food chains including McDonald's and Burger King, as well as at supermarkets and convenience stores, because of possible listeria contamination.

The Irwindale, Calif.,-based company says it's recalling 293,488 cases and 296,224 individually distributed units of fruit, vegetable, and sandwich products containing its apples. The products were sold in 36 states and the District of Columbia.

At McDonald's Corp., the apples were used for the company's sliced apple packs, fruit & maple oatmeal and fruit & walnut snack trays in select states. In a statement, McDonald's said it stopped serving all apple products from the Ready Pac facility where the contamination was found as a precautionary step. The Oak Brook, Ill.-based chain said it hasn't received any confirmed cases of illness.

At Burger King Worldwide Inc., the fruit was sold in the chain's sliced apple packs. A representative for Burger King did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The apples were also used in fruit mixes and packages at Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine; Wegmans, based in Rochester, N.Y., and Wawa, based in Wawa, Pa. The products have use-by dates ranging from July 8 through Aug. 20.

When consumers eat foods contaminated with the bacterium listeria monocytogenes, they can get a serious infection called listeriosis. The disease primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion and convulsions.

The recall by Ready Pac came after listeria monocytogenes was found on equipment used by one of its subsidiaries, Missa Bay, based in Swedesboro, N.J. Ready Pac said no illnesses have yet been reported.

The recalled items were sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Ready Pac said consumers with questions can call the company at 800-800-7822.