Andrew and Williamson did not reveal the amount given to the non-profit organization but said it is in support of efforts to create an educational packet about foodborne illness to send to every pediatric emergency room and hospital in the US so that patients receive timely diagnosis and proper treatment.
The outbreak, linked to cucumbers imported from Mexico by Rancho Don Juanito and distributed by A&W, has sickened more than 550 people in 33 states with three deaths.
David Murray, partner at A&W, said in reading information about the illnesses, it was clear many doctors need additional guidance to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.
“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,” he said.
“We will never forget what happened. And you can rest assured that our food safety decisions will forever be influenced by the memory of consumers who have been impacted by this recall.
“We want you to know that we are continuing our collaborative work with federal and state agencies in the US 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.
“The very foundation of our company is based on ensuring the quality of the fresh produce we grow, ship and sell. And I know the state-of-the-art growers we partner with in Mexico share the same passion for protecting consumer health and safety.”