A firm that reprocessed moldy applesauce in Yakima, Washington, was linked to an outbreak of illness at a North Carolina school in early 2011. The applesauce was packed in #10 cans and intended for use in school cafeterias. The specific applesauce linked to the illnesses was produced on January 24, 2011, by Snokist, and had been shipped to seven states and to a further processor, Advanced Pierre Foods. On October 20, the Food and Drug Administration posted a warning letter to Snokist Growers stating that the company could not ensure that its method of reprocessing of applesauce eliminated the potential for illness. On November 4, Snokist Growers attempted to reassure the public about the safety of their product; they contended that the contamination of the applesauce resulted from a knocked down flange in the can which resulted in an ineffective seal of the cans. They felt that the mold removal and subsequent thermal process for reworking compromised applesauce in totes was sufficient. They contend that no reworked applesauce had ever been used in product going to the USDA for schools. The FDA review of Snokist Growers documents showed the company had reprocessed mold-contaminated applesauce at least 13 times between January 2008 and May 2011, repackaging food into 15-ounce cans, 106-ounce-cans, 300-gallon bags and 4.2-ounce, single-serve cups. On December 9, it was announced that Snokist Growers filed for bankruptcy.