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WHEELING -- Ziegenfelder Co. voluntarily recalled about 3,000 cases of Budget $aver Cherry Pineapple Monster Pops and Sugar Free Twin Pops for fear of listeria contamination.
"We're very sorry for this temporary disruption of service and deeply regret any concerns or problems we have caused the people who depend on us for affordable, quality frozen treats," Lisa Allen, CEO of the Wheeling-based company, said in a prepared statement.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the recall. The FDA does not indicate that any of the frozen treats were distributed in West Virginia, although some may have gone to grocers and distributors in Ohio. Other states from which the company is recalling pops include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. These products were delivered from April 5-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said listeria can lead to fatal infections in young children, the frail or the elderly. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, but Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
No illnesses or incidents involving the product have been reported to date.
The FDA states the voluntary recall is taking place after a routine inspection of Ziegenfelder's Denver production facility.
"We ceased production at the Denver plant while the company and the state of Colorado to determine what may have caused the problem," Allen said. "We work closely with the FDA and its state counterparts during these occasional routine inspections because, like families everywhere, we want to be certain we are providing safe food and frozen treats for our friends and loved ones."
Allen said the company hopes to restart production at its Denver facility as soon as possible.
"State and federal inspectors have inspected our facilities before and have never found contamination of this nature," she added.