Frozen strawberries recalled due to hepatitis A risk

Certain frozen strawberries available at Trader Joe’s, Costco and other stores shouldn’t be eaten because of the hepatitis A risk, the US Food and Drug Administration warned consumers this week.

The FDA warning includes this image of some brands and packaging.

fda.gov

Some lots of Kirkland Signature Organic Strawberries, Trader Joe’s Organic Tropical Fruit Blend and other brands were voluntarily recalled by two suppliers this week as the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigate an outbreak linked to the fruit.

An outbreak of hepatitis A in Washington state has hospitalized two people and infected up to five people, the FDA said in a warning on its website. The agency said patients reported eating frozen organic strawberries before becoming ill. The infections are linked to strawberries imported from certain farms in Baja California, Mexico, the FDA said.

“Consumers, restaurants and retailers should not sell, serve or eat recalled frozen strawberries. These recalled products should be returned or discarded,” the warning said. “If consumers purchased the recalled organic frozen strawberries and have eaten those berries within the past two weeks and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A, they should contact their healthcare provider immediately.”

Other stores that stocked the frozen strawberries include Aldi and PCC Community Markets, and other brands include Made With and Simply Nature organic strawberries.

Specific details on stores, brands, lots, best buy dates, etc. are available in the FDA’s alert.

Two suppliers, California Splendor and Scenic Fruit, also released information about the recall, as did Aldi, Costco, PCC Community Markets and Trader Joe’s. They all say that hepatitis A has not been detected in their respective products, but that the recalls were “out of caution”. Made With did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

The FDA said the hepatitis A strain found in Washington state is identical to the strain that caused an outbreak in 2022.

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver, an organ responsible for filtering blood and other important functions. Although most people make a full recovery (and many people in the US are vaccinated against the virus), symptoms can last for weeks to months and can progress to more serious illness in some people.

Symptoms include abdominal pain, dark urine, fatigue, jaundice, nausea, pale stools and vomiting, the FDA said. In some cases, symptoms may not be apparent, especially in children under the age of 6.

CNET’s Jessica Rendall contributed to this report.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions about a medical condition or health goals.