TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Trade Ministry has officially banned the Granny Smith and Gala apples coming from Bidart Bros., Bakersfield, California. The two types of apples commonly sold under the brand Granny's Best and Big B are allegedly contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in infants, children, sick elderly, and people with weak immune systems. Listeriosis infections can fatal, causing symptoms including fever, severe headache, nausea, and a stiff neck, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

"The Trade Ministry is asking the public not to consume these apples. Importers, distributors, and retailers must recall the apples and stop trading them," said Widodo, the ministry's director general of standardization and consumer protection, yesterday.

According to Widodo, this decision was taken after the National Agency of Drug and Food—the Emergency Contact Point International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN)—and the National Contact Point Indonesia Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (INRASFF) received a warning on January 17. The warning told authorities to recall and ban the distribution of said apples and other dairy products from all over the world; over fear they may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The Trade Ministry also received a letter from the US embassy in Jakarta on January 21, warning them about the contamination.

PINGIT ARIA