Remove contaminated apples from US, traders urged

MANILA, Philippines - Traders should remove apples that were recalled in the United States a few days ago due to a listeriosis outbreak that has so far killed seven persons, an environmental group said yesterday.

“Amid the frenzy over the papal visit, we urge the authorities to act swiftly on this public health issue and ensure that the contaminated apples are not sold to consumers,” Aileen Lucero, coordinator of EcoWaste Coa-lition, said.

The US Food and Drugs Administration recently alerted the government, through the Philippine Trade and Invesment Center in Washington, to the export to the Philippines of some 375,000 cartons of apples from California-based Bidart Bros. The Department of Trade and Industry – Consumer Protection Group released the advisory on Thursday.

On Jan. 6, Bidart Bros. voluntarily recalled its Gala and Granny Smith apples after environmental testing showed that its apple-packing facility was contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

Lucero appealed to the apple shipments’ consignees and distributors to “voluntarily withdraw the tainted produce for safe disposal,” warning that unless they move quickly, “we might find the recalled apples being sold soon at rock-bottom prices in Divisoria and Quiapo at the expense of consumer health.”