Frozen Strawberries Recalled Over Hepatitis A Risk

Frozen natural strawberries bought at Costco, Aldi, Dealer Joe’s and different retailers have been recalled after the merchandise have been linked to 5 circumstances of hepatitis A in Washington State, the Meals and Drug Administration stated.

The administration and the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, in partnership with state and native companies, are investigating the circumstances, which included two individuals who have been hospitalized.

“Shoppers, eating places and retailers shouldn’t promote, serve or eat recalled frozen strawberries,” the F.D.A. stated in an announcement. “These recalled merchandise ought to be returned or thrown away.”

Investigators discovered that 5 individuals who turned sick and offered details about what they ate all reported having consumed the strawberries, the F.D.A. stated.

The pressure of hepatitis A is genetically equivalent to a pressure that induced an outbreak of hepatitis A infections in 2022, which was linked to recent natural strawberries additionally imported from Baja California, Mexico.

The 2 distributors within the newest circumstances, California Splendor and Scenic Fruit, bought the frozen strawberries to an array of outlets underneath a number of model names, together with Kirkland Signature, Made With, PCC Neighborhood Markets, Merely Nature, Dealer Joe’s and Important Selection, the F.D.A. stated.

“Though hepatitis A has not been detected on this product, out of an abundance of warning, customers ought to cease consuming the product and return it to their native retailer for a refund,” Scenic Fruit stated in an announcement.

Scenic Fruit stated it had ceased the manufacturing and distribution of the product because the F.D.A. and the corporate examine.

California Splendor, whose merchandise had been bought at Costco shops in Hawaii, Los Angeles and two San Diego enterprise facilities, stated in an announcement that hepatitis A had not been detected in its merchandise.

Costco stated hepatitis A had not been detected within the merchandise it bought however added that buyers ought to return them for a full refund. Aldi stated it had no reported diseases related with the recalled merchandise.

Dealer Joe’s recalled its natural tropical fruit combine, which included frozen strawberries in addition to frozen bananas, pineapples and mangos, however not its natural strawberries as a person product.

“No diseases have been reported thus far, and all probably affected product has been faraway from sale and destroyed,” Dealer Joe’s stated in an announcement. “Should you bought any Natural Tropical Fruit Mix, please don’t eat it. We urge you to discard the product or return it to any Dealer Joe’s for a full refund.”

Hepatitis A assaults the liver. An infection sometimes happens inside 15 to 50 days of ingesting contaminated meals or water, and signs can embody fatigue, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, jaundice, darkish urine and pale stool.

“If customers bought the recalled frozen natural strawberries and ate these berries within the final two weeks, and haven’t been vaccinated in opposition to hepatitis A, they need to instantly seek the advice of with their well being care skilled to find out whether or not post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is required,” the F.D.A. stated.