Frozen fruit urgently recalled over Hepatitis A contamination fears

18 March 2023 , 11:49

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Frozen fruit is being recalled across the US after suspected Hepatitis A cases (Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Packs of frozen fruit have been recalled across the US over fears of contamination with Hepatitis A after a handful of suspected cases.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out a notice on Thursday asking customers nationwide to return packs of organic tropical fruit blend sold under the Scenic Fruit Company brand at Trader Joe's supermarket.

Also affected are Kirkland Signature brand frozen organic strawberries, which are sold at Costco superstores in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there had been three confirmed Hepatitis A cases and two more suspected among people in Washington who said they had eaten the frozen strawberries.

The FDA have asked customers told customers to return organic tropical fruit blend packs sold under the Scenic Fruit Company brand at Trader Joe's

Two of these people required hospital treatment, though no deaths have been reported.

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While no traces of the infection have been detected in either product so far, the FDA says the recall was issued out of an "abundance of caution".

Confirming Scenic Fruit Company had halted production of the tropical fruit blend, the statement added: "The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem."

Customers have been asked to either destroy the affected products or return them for a full refund.

Speaking to NBC News this week, a Scenic Fruit Company spokesperson said the frozen strawberries had came from supplier California Splendor.

"The investigation is still ongoing. Based on previous investigations of this nature, it likely originated on a farm in Mexico", they said.

A statement from the FDA on Friday confirmed the strain of hepatitis A was identical to one detected during an outbreak connected to strawberries from Baja California, Mexico last year.

The FDA said the strain of hepatitis A was identical to one detected in strawberries from Mexico last year

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver which is usually caught from contamination of food products.

Symptoms include mild fever, jaundice, joint and muscle pain, feeling and being sick, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, stomach pain, dark-coloured urine and itchy skin.

The FDA said hepatitis A can range from a mild illness "lasting a few weeks" to a "serious illness lasting several months".

In rare cases, particularly among people with severe illness or compromised immune systems, Hepatitis A infection can progress to liver failure.

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