SACRAMENTO – Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), has warned consumers not to eat Fruiti Pops or Paletas California brand frozen mamey fruit bars, also known as paletas, because of potential contamination with Salmonella Typhi.

Mamey, which is the main ingredient of these products, is a tropical fruit from Central America.

There have been no illnesses reported from consumption of the frozen mamey fruit bars. But the mamey used to produce the bars was from Goya Inc., a company that initiated a recall of its mamey pulp after sampling detected Salmonella.

The Goya brand mamey pulp was associated with Salmonella Typhi illnesses. At least nine people in California and Nevada have been ill with typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi.

Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi, which lives only in humans.

Infection results from eating foods or drinking water or beverages that have been contaminated by an infected person, or by direct or indirect contact with fecal material from infected persons.

Most cases in the U.S. are acquired from recent travel to developing countries, but a small number of cases may be acquired locally from rare carriers, people who recovered from typhoid fever but continue to carry and shed the bacteria.

Symptoms of typhoid fever include fever, headache, abdominal pain, and constipation or diarrhea. Most ill persons need to be hospitalized for antibiotic treatment. Carriers usually do not have symptoms but, once identified, also need antibiotic treatment.

People who develop symptoms of typhoid fever after consuming Fruiti Pops and Paletas California brand frozen fruit pops should consult their health care provider.

Fruiti Pops frozen fruit bars are 4 ounces and packaged in a clear plastic wrapper. The frozen fruit bars do not contain lot numbers or expiration dates. The Universal Product Code (UPC) of the recalled product is 763734000097. The recalled fruit bars were distributed in California, Arizona, and Texas through distributorships.

Paletas California frozen mamey fruit bars are 4 ounces and packaged in plastic wrappers. The fruit bars are sold in a package of 24 paletas. All production lot codes are being recalled. The UPC of the recalled product is 3641800200. The recalled fruit bars in California were distributed to retailers in Southern California.

Consumers in possession of these products are advised to dispose of them. Consumers with questions may contact Fruiti Pops at 562-404-2568 and Paletas California at Foods Inc. at 562-944-0680.

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Written by: Editor

Published: 03 September 2010