Kroger withdraws Unrefrigerated Caramel Apples due to risk for listeriosis

The Kroger Co. of Cincinnati, OH, announced Thursday, October 15, that its retail grocery stores would withdraw from sale unrefrigerated caramel apples that have been pierced with dipping sticks due to new scientific evidence that the product, if left unrefrigerated, may present a health risk. It causes short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The infection is especially unsafe to pregnant women, the elderly, the very young and people with compromised immune systems. After being dipped, the apples were stored at varying temperatures for several weeks, as most pre-packaged candy apples are.

Researchers found that refrigerating the apples helped delay listeria growth by about a week.

According to the Wall Street Journal, yesterday’s publication of listeria growth in caramel apples from Kathy Glass’ group at Wisconsin has led to a swift risk management decision.

Researchers during the study noted that the average population of Listeria increased 1,000 times on caramel apples with sticks. Lower your risk of illness by washing your own fresh apples, then rolling them in caramel the old-fashioned way.

She said, “Anything on the surface [of the apples] will die from the hot caramel”, noting that the issue might lie in those spots where the apples are not completely submerged. Only refrigerated apples, without wooden sticks, had no listeria growth over four weeks. This created an environment between the caramel and skin of the apple where the bacteria could grow. Glass also explained that both moisture transfer and microbial growth were accelerated at room temperature when compared to refrigeration. “But because caramel-dipped apples are typically set out at room temperature for multiple days, maybe up to two weeks, it is enough time for the bacteria to grow”.

“If someone ate those apples fresh, they probably would not get sick”, said Kathleen Glass, associate director of the Food Research Institute, in a press release.