Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce (A&W)--the company named in a recent major recall linked to Salmonella bacteria in cucumbers--is making a donation to STOP Foodborne Illness. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping those impacted by foodborne illness.
The company has not said how much they are donating to the organization, but the funds are expect to go towards developing an educational packet that will be distributed to every pediatric emergency room and hospital in the U.S. It will contain information to help patients with their foodborne illness ordeal, and to assist doctors with proper diagnosis.
“While we recognize that our actions cannot alleviate the pain caused by a victim’s suffering or worse, the loss of a loved one, the A&W family promises you that we will learn from this experience.” says David Murray, a partner with A&W.
The A&W cucumber recall has been traced to vegetables imported from Mexico by Rancho Don Juanito. To date, nearly 600 people have been sickened in 33 states. The has also been three reported deaths. In a statement, the company has said they are “absolutely devastated”.
“We want you to know that we are continuing our collaborative work with federal and state agencies in the U.S. and Mexico, and have engaged leading food safety experts to analyze our processes and add to our existing expertise. When we find the problem, we will fix it and take every step possible to keep it from happening again.”