HHS NEWS

P96-17                          Food and Drug Administration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           Arthur Whitmore (202) 205-4144
October 31, 1996                Lawrence Bachorik (301)827-6242
                                
                                Consumer Hotline: (800) 532-4440

                    E. Coli 0157:H7 OUTBREAK
       ASSOCIATED WITH ODWALLA BRAND APPLE JUICE PRODUCTS

     Odwalla, Inc., in cooperation with the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), is announcing the voluntary recall of all
Odwalla brand apple juice products, as well as all Odwalla brand
blended juice products containing apple juice, because these
products have been epidemiologically linked with an outbreak of
Escherichia coli 0157:H7 illnesses.
     To date, thirteen cases of E. Coli 0157:H7 illness have been
confirmed by laboratory cultures of stool samples, and an
epidemiological investigation conducted by the Seattle-King
County Department of Public Health and the Washington State
Department of Health has shown that at least ten of these 13
patients had consumed Odwalla brand apple juice in the Seattle,
Wash., area.  Onset of illness occurred between approximately
October 15 and October 24, 1996.
     Consumers are advised not to consume any Odwalla brand fruit
juices that contain apple juice.  Persons who have developed a
diarrheal illness within two weeks after consuming and Odwalla
product that contains apple juice may wish to consult their 
physician.  Consumers with questions about E. Coli 0157:H7
illness should contact their local or state department of health. 
Persons who consumed the apple juice but do not develop illness
are not at risk for complications and do not need to seek medical
care.
     E. coli 0157:H7 causes a diarrheal illness, often with
bloody stools.  Most persons recover completely within a week. 
However, some develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic
Uremic Syndrome (HUS).
     Odwalla brand fruit juices are produced by Odwalla, Inc.,
Half Moon Bay, Calif.  The firm is voluntarily recalling all of
its products that contain apple juice and is cooperating fully
with local, state, and Federal officials.
     Odwalla is recalling its pure apple juice as well as 12
other juice products that, despite their names, also contain
apple juice.  The following products, all of which contain apple
juice, are being recalled:
         Apple Juice                  Mo'Beta
         Blackberry Fruitshake        Femme Vitale
         Mango Tango                  Strawberry C-Monster
         Super Protein                Superfood
         Strawberry Banana Smoothie   Serious Ginseng
         Raspberry smoothie           Deep in Peach
         C-Monster

     The following Odwalla products that do not contain apple
juice are not affected by this recall:
         Water                        Lemonade
         Orange Juice                 Strawberry Lemonade
         Grapefruit Juice             Lemon Juice
         Carrot                       Lime Juice
         Organic Carrot               Menage A Tropique
         All Vegetable Cocktail       C-Monster Light

     Odwalla's apple juice products have been distributed in
seven states -- California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,
Texas and Washington -- as well as British Columbia, Canada.
     The current investigation of cases of E. coli 0157:H7
associated with Odwalla brand apple juice products is continuing,
to determine definitively how this outbreak occurred.
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