Kitchen

[abbeyanne]

I would like to know why QVC continued to ship the apples after learning about this issue. At minimum they should have alerted those who purchased the product. Out of respect and concern for their customers. I agree, QVC should have been proactive. Instead, QVC only provided talking points to their customer service staff to gloss over the issue. They omit the fact that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has issued warnings to "not eat ANY commercially produced carmel apples." That includes Mrs. Prindables. A QVC representative told me today "We are not concerned, but if you're uncomfortable eating them you can throw them out and I'll give you a refund." When I learned about this issue today I tried to speak with a manager and they wouldn't even return my call. My shipment arrived last Friday. I wasn't aware of this issue and I gave an apple to my 89 year old mother and others to eat. I now have to apologize to everyone I gave them to and hope they are safe. This was incredibly embarrassing on Christmas Day. I will now have to worry about this as we enter the New Year. This could have all been avoided if QVC was honest with us and had integrity to stop shipping Mrs. Prindables when they first learned of the potential problem. Instead, QVC chose to put their bottom line ahead of us, their customers, and I will never forget that. I believe I'm not alone. I am very disappointed in QVC's response, actions and inactions regarding this issue. I will never trust QVC with food, and possibly all, purchases in the future.

[newziesuzie]

On 12/26/2014 LaLa Mommy said:

On 12/26/2014 dooBdoo said:

On 12/26/2014 RedTop said: corita, I would not hesitate to eat the apples in your refrigerator. My family has eaten the 16 Mrs Prindables apples we received 2 weeks ago, and are not the least bit worried about them being affected by Listeria. Everyone has to make the decision they feel is best for them; our decision was based on the facts we knew, not on fear, and not on what "they" said.

With all due respect, this isn't about fear and I think those using that implication in their comments are merely trying to mock others who are concerned about a significant health threat. The "facts we know" are that people have been sickened, some have died, and the CDC and FDA both have reported this as an active, ongoing investigation and continue to advise consumers not to eat pre-packed, commercially produced whole caramel apples.

EXACTLY doobdoo!

The fact that we have to EXPLAIN the CDC's basic warning to some people like they're incapable of basic comprehension skills, is laughable.

^^^This. So strange that people wouldn't rather wait until all the sources are found. Risking health for candy apples?

[newziesuzie]

FRIDAY, 12/26/14 @ 5:00 p.m.

Caramel Apples and Ice Cream Leave Dozens With Life Threatening Listeria Infections

http://www.newsweek.com/caramel-apples-and-ice-cream-leave-dozens-life-threatening-listeria-infectio...

FRIDAY, 12/26/14 @ 5:00 p.m.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the Food and Drug Administration are cautioning Americans to stay away from certain caramel apples. (CDC recommends that U.S. consumers not eat any commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples, including plain caramel apples as well as those containing nuts, sprinkles, chocolate, or other toppings, until more specific guidance can be provided.) Commercially-produced and pre-packaged apples—the kind typically sold at grocery stores—have been linked to listeria monocytogenes infections, also called listeriosis.

According to the FDA, “Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.” When the organism infects pregnant women, it can also lead to miscarriages and stillborn births. The bacteria can be spread by ingesting affected food, making contact with infected animals and is also passed from mother to child during pregnancy.

As of December 22, the CDC has found 29 infected people across ten states, all of whom have been hospitalized. Of those 29, three have died due to causes linked directly to listeriosis; the CDC believes infection may have contributed to the death of the fourth.

It remains unclear which brands have been affected and the CDC is still working to determine the contamination source. It is also not yet clear whether it is the caramel coating or the apples that are causing the outbreak, but, according to the CDC, "at this time, no illnesses related to this outbreak have been linked to apples that are not caramel-coated and not prepackaged or to caramel candy.”

Some caramel apple manufacturers, such as Missouri-based Happy Apple Company, are issuing voluntary recalls as the CDC continues their investigation. “We recently received notice from Bidart Brothers, one of our apple suppliers to our California facility that there may be a connection between this outbreak and the apples that they supplied to that facility,” the company said in a statement.

Simultaneously, two other cases of the infection, both in Washington state, were linked to frozen desserts produced by Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream. Both patients are currently recovering from the disease and remain hospitalized. Meanwhile, the company issued a voluntary recall on ice cream, gelato, custard and sorbet of all flavors. The products were distributed in fourteen states. It is unclear whether the ice cream-related infections are in any way connected to the caramel apple-related infections.

[daisy4]

On 12/21/2014 newziesuzie said:

On 12/21/2014 Walck said: My husband and I ate them as did all our friends and we are all fine. They were delicious.

Glad you're fine but has it been 70 days since you ate them?

I also read it could take up to 70 days for symptoms to show. Sorry - a caramel apple just isn't worth my families health. I also contacted CS for a refund and dumped the whole order of Mrs. P. apples.

[Sylanne]

The very LEAST that QVC should have done was issue an on line scroll on TV.

There are so many people attached to QVC, watch nothing else, have no internet access, etc. & know nothing about CDC's warning re ALL caramel apple warnings.

SHAME on you QVC.

[newziesuzie]

There's a thread in Viewpoints and a poster just said she just called QVC Customer Service and they ""assured her they're 100 % safe"" to eat. I don't think that's right. Jmho

[AnnikaC]

Mrs. Prindables just posted an update on their website. http://www.mrsprindables.com/news We ate our Mrs. P caramel apples about a month ago and I feel a bit relieved about it now. However, we've also been eating regular plain apples all along (I wash and scrub them always) so it's very frustrating because the whole time the CDC website stated they didn't have any reason to believe apples were causing the outbreak (that sentence has since been removed and I can't find it now). Yet they knew there was a recall on del monte gala apples in mid-December. I don't feel confident about their investigations whatsoever.

[Tigriss]

Normally I would say that I was eating regular apples too, but with my recently diagnosed fructose mal-absorption issue, I stopped eat fruit for my sweet tooth. Fruit was my major source for a sweet fix. I'm struggling to find another since I'm not really a big sugar eater. I can eat a whole orchard of apples especially honey-crisps!! Gone are the days of apples and peanut butter for supper or lunch! Darn, but it is nice to know that regular produce apples are still safe since so many of them are served in schools and homes. We are an apple eating country!