Call Today for a FREE Confidential Case Review
Toll-Free 24/7 (866) 920-0753

Caramel Apple Listeria Food Poisoning Outbreak

December 18, 2014 — The Minnesota Department of Health is warning consumers not to eat any brands of commercially-produced, pre-packaged caramel apples until they know more about an outbreak of food poisoning that has caused two deaths.

Four people have been infected in the outbreak and were hospitalized. They were all between the ages of 59 and 90. The onset of illnesses began in late October and November.

The pre-packaged, commercially-produced caramel apples may have had toppings like nuts, chocolate, or sprinkles. No illnesses have been linked to apples that are not caramel-coated and pre-packaged.

All of the victims bought caramel apples from Cub Foods, Kwik Trip, or Mike’s Discount Foods. The brands included Carnival and Kitchen Cravings, both of which are no longer available for purchase. However, health officials are concerned that other brands and locations may be involved. In addition, some consumers may still have the apples in their homes.

In the meantime, health officials warn:

“Consumers should not eat any brands of commercially-produced pre-packaged caramel apples until additional information is available.”

What is Listeria?

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that causes listeriosis, a severe type of food poisoning. Unlike most types of food poisoning, symptoms can appear in as little as 3 days or after nearly 3 months.

Although rare, listeriosis is one of the most serious types of food poisoning — especially for children, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems. Pregnant women may only have mild fever, but infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or infection of the newborn.

Listeriosis symptoms may include:

  • Fever
  • Muscle aches
  • Headache
  • Stiff neck
  • Confusion
  • Loss of balance
  • Convulsions

Do I have a Food Poisoning Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting food poisoning induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with listeriosis after eating caramel apples, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.

Free Case Evaluation


The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.

No matter what type of case you have, you may contact us with confidence by filling out the email contact form below or calling us directly by dialing toll free 24 hrs/day (866) 920-0753.