Bahrain has today been declared free of bacteria-infected caramel apples. The Agency of Agriculture and Marine resources has reassured the public, saying that such products have not reached the local market. "An extensive survey coordinated with the Ministry of Health and the Customs Directorate confirmed the inexistence of such goods in Bahrain", it said.
Claims circulated on social websites prompted the health authorities to deny the presence of such products in the local markets. The International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) has already alerted health authorities in Bahrain after two strains of Listeria monocytogenes were confirmed in the Bidart Bros apple processing plant near Bakersfield, California.
Based on the INFOSAN notification, health inspectors surveyed all local markets and scrutinize the importers' data to conclude eventually that caramel apples are not available in Bahrain. Importers and workers in the agricultural sector have been urged to cooperate with the Agency of Agriculture and Marine resources so as to protect public health.