In late 2022, a multistate outbreak of Hepatitis A in frozen organic strawberries struck consumers, hospitalizing 13 out of the 18 confirmed patients in Washington State. In Canada, there were also 10 hospitalized patients confirmed to be affected by the same outbreak. Now, once again, the same strain of Hepatitis A linked to these frozen strawberries that caused this string of illnesses last year, is again causing another outbreak this year.
In the current multistate outbreak, so far 7 people have been confirmed ill and two have been hospitalized. The guilty berries are also from the same growing area as the last outbreak, in Baja California, Mexico, according to the FDA. The reported illnesses began on November 22, 2022 and have spanned all the way till March 26, 2023. No deaths have been reported, although the CDC is urging consumers to act with an abundance of caution.
According to Food Safety News, two companies have recalled organic frozen strawberries with expiration dates stretching all the way into 2024, California Splendor and Scenic Fruit. The recalled strawberries were sold under the following brands:
- Simply Nature, Organic Strawberries, Best By 06/14/2024
- Vital Choice, Organic Strawberries, BEST BY 05/20/2024
- Kirkland Signature, Organic Strawberries, Best If Used By 10/08/2024
- Made With, Organic Strawberries, Best Before 11/20/2024
- PCC Community Markets, Organic Strawberries, Best By 29/10/2024
- Trader Joe’s, Organic Tropical Fruit Blend with the following Best By dates: 04/25/24; 05/12/24; 05/23/24; 05/30/24; 06/07/24
What is Hepatitis A, and how can it be identified?
Hepatitis A is a contagious viral infection that infects your liver, and in rare cases, can cause liver failure. You can become ill with this infection through contaminated food and drink, or after coming in close contact with someone close to you who is sick. It can also take up to fifty days to display symptoms of the illness, making it difficult to discover what caused you to become ill. Thankfully, this illness is completely vaccine-preventable, so if you have the time, it would be prudent to receive the vaccine.
Either way, it is important that if you experience symptoms and have consumed any of these products that you contact your local health provider immediately. As one food poisoning lawyer noted:
“This illness may not be a serious health issue for the normal healthy adult, but for those who are older, very young, immunocompromised, or pregnant, it can be a serious issue. It is important to receive the proper test so your local Health Department can be alerted, and we can prevent any further cases. This means getting tested properly – an IgM test is needed to identify acute illness, while an IgG only confirms past exposure either through illness or the vaccine.”
Another tip: If you are exposed, getting the vaccine within 15 days of that exposure may work to prevent illness!
