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A multi-state outbreak of hepatitis A infections in the United States and Canada is likely to have been caused by contaminated organic strawberries sold at major grocery stores, the Food and Drug Administration warned, urging customers to dispose of unconsumed batches that may have been frozen for later consumption.
“Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not sell, serve, or eat fresh organic strawberries under the FreshKampo or HEB brand if purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022,” the FDA wrote in a statement issued Saturday.
The FDA said the potentially affected fruit had been sold nationwide in at least nine popular grocery chains, including Aldi, Safeway, Trader’s Joe’s and Walmart, and added that strawberries were “a likely cause of disease in this country. outbreak “.
“Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A infection after eating these fresh organic strawberries, or if you think you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks,” the statement said.
Of the 17 reported cases, at least 15 were listed in California, the FDA said. At least 12 people had been hospitalized with the highly contagious virus that can cause fever, nausea, stomach upset and fatigue.
Those who reported infections in California, Minnesota and Canada said they had bought FreshKampo or HEB branded berries before they fell ill.
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It was not immediately clear how the strawberries might have become infected. Hepatitis A is usually contracted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water, but can also be transmitted from person to person, according to information shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease can last for several weeks and, in rare cases, can lead to liver failure and death, although this is more common in people with liver disease or people over the age of 50, according to the CDC.
The FDA said the investigation into infected strawberries was ongoing and more products could be included as part of the advice. FreshKampo and Texas-based HEB Grocery Co. could not be reached immediately for comment Monday morning.
According to the FDA, seafood, raw vegetables, and fruits are among the most cited foods as potential sources of food-borne hepatitis A in the United States. It is recommended to wash your hands thoroughly to reduce the risk of getting sick.
According to the British National Health Service, products can be contaminated with hepatitis A if they are handled by someone with an infection who has not washed their hands properly. Washing food with dirty water can also cause infections.
FreshKampo fruit is also sold in the Middle East and Europe, according to the company’s website.
HEB, in a statement on its website announcing the withdrawal, said that it has not received or sold organic strawberries from the supplier investigated since April 16, but that anyone who has bought organic strawberries during the review period The FDA should release or return them. at the place of purchase.
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“All strawberries sold at HEB are safe,” the statement said, noting that “no strawberry disease has been reported related to FDA research on HEB or Texas.”
In the United States, at least 37 states have reported more than 44,000 cases of hepatitis A since 2016, causing at least 420 deaths. Previous outbreaks have been linked to products such as raw scallops.