Frozen Mamey Paletas Recalled Over Salmonella Risk

In response to the recent voluntary recall by Goya Foods, Inc. of their frozen mamey pulp, Paleta California, Co. is voluntarily recalling its four-ounce Mamey Supreme Cream Bar, a frozen fruit bar also known as “paletas,” due to a potential health risk from <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/food_poisoning">Salmonella Typhi.

Salmonella Typhi is a bacterium that causes a life-threatening illness called typhoid fever. Persons with typhoid fever develop high and sustained fever, headache, constipation, chills, severe abdominal pain, fatigue, and other signs and symptoms. Typhoid fever can last from three to four weeks and may be serious or even fatal. Most ill persons require hospitalization for appropriate antibiotic treatment, and the infection is usually diagnosed by a blood test.

Some persons with typhoid fever recover from the illness but continue to carry the bacteria and can pass it on to others. Both ill persons and carriers shed S. Typhi in their feces. Populations at highest risk of infection include infants, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

The recalled Mamey Supreme Cream Bar was distributed only in Southern California. Consumers may have purchased the recalled fruit bars through retail stores. The product retail unit comes in four-ounce plastic-wrapped frozen fruit bars. The Mamey Paletas are shipped to retail establishments in a package of 24 fruit bars per box. All production lot codes are being affected by this recall. The UPC of the recalled product is 636418002000. No other Paleta California, Co. products are affected.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled four-ounce frozen mamey fruit bars are urged to discard the product or return it to the point of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions can contact California Paleta’s Consumer Affairs Department at (562) 944-0680 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time.

We recently wrote that in response to the Goya Foods recall, Fruiti Pops, Inc. of Santa Fe Springs, CA also recalled its Fruiti Pops four-ounce Mamey frozen fruit bars due to a potential health risk from Salmonella typhi. No illnesses have been reported, to date, related to Fruiti Pops Mamey fruit bars; no other flavors of Fruiti Pops fruit bars or any other products produced by Fruiti Pops, Inc. were affected by this recall.

We previously wrote that an urgent, nationwide fruit pulp recall was issued for frozen mamey fruit. Mamey fruit, also known as “zapote,” is large, round, with brown skin and a fleshy orange pulp; is typically grown in the tropical lowlands of Central America; and is very popular in the Hispanic community, especially in “batidos”: Juice and fruit shakes.

The FDA warned consumers not to eat frozen mamey fruit pulp sold under the La Nuestra brand by Montalvan Sales Inc. Ontario, California, or the Goya brand by Goya Foods Inc. Secaucus, New Jersey. An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state partners found an epidemiologic link between an ongoing outbreak of Salmonella Typhi and recalled products. At that time, the CDC reported that at least nine people in California and Nevada fell ill with typhoid fever. Eight of those people reported not having traveled outside the US. Of note, Salmonella Typhi is more prevalent in developing countries.