Jamba Juice warns of contaminated smoothies...

George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer

San Francisco beverage chain Jamba Juice said Tuesday it may have used contaminated strawberries late last month in several of its stores in Southern California, Arizona and Southern Nevada.

One of Jamba Juice's suppliers, Cleugh's Frozen Foods, notified the company last week that routine testing in a Salinas food processing center found that its frozen strawberries tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially harmful bacteria. As of Tuesday, no illnesses have been reported as a result of drinking Jamba products.
Cleugh's, a subsidiary of Canadian organic food company SunOpta Inc., said in a statement late Monday that it had voluntarily recalled the strawberries.

Jamba CEO Paul Clayton said in an interview a supply of 755 cases, each containing 30 lbs. of frozen strawberries, had been in different stages of the shipping process when the discovery was made. All but about 50 cases of the frozen strawberries were found and pulled from distribution centers or stores before they were used, he said.

The strawberry cases that aren't accounted for may have been used to make smoothies in the three regions between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1, Clayton said. He said the 50 strawberry cases represent less than 3 three percent of all the smoothies made in those areas during the six-day period.

Any customer who purchased smoothies in the affected parts of California, Arizona and Nevada who has developed a fever, cold or flu-like symptoms should call the Jamba Juice consumer help line at 1-877-464-5698 or consult a physician and be tested for infection, Clayton said. Jamba Juice will pay for the test, he said.

"The wellbeing and health of our customers is the most important thing,'' Clayton said. "If anyone purchased our products in stores in those areas and they feel they have developed symptoms, we encourage them to get a blood test.''

Clayton said Jamba Juice notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and state and local health officials about the contamination. It has halted all shipments from Cleugh's plant in Salinas "until we are completely convinced that their products are safe and processed Jamba Juice warns of contaminated smoothies in a manner consistent with our high standards,'' he said in a statement.

Listeria monocytogenes is an uncommon food-borne pathogen that can cause listeriosis, an infection that ranges from life-threatening to cases with no apparent symptoms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those most at risk for infection are pregnant women, infants, the elderly or people with weakened immune symptoms, according to the agency.

San Francisco's Jamba Juice, which takes its name from an African word jama, which means to celebrate, was formed in 1990. It now has 589 stores in 22 states.

It was acquired for $265 million by a Florida company controlled by Steve Berrard, the former head of Blockbuster Entertainment and AutoNation Inc. The deal closed Nov. 28.

George Raine at graine@sfchronicle.com