Frozen strawberries part of voluntary recall
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded its list of frozen strawberry products that have been voluntarily recalled as it investigates links to Hepatitis A cases.
The strawberries — imported from Mexico — have been sold at major retailers such as Walmart and Costco stores nationwide, including Hawaii.
Willamette Valley Fruit Co. of Salem, Ore., has voluntarily recalled Great Value Mixed Fruit and Great Value Sliced Strawberries, 4-lb bags, and Great Value Antioxidant Fruit Blend, 2-lb bags, sold at Walmart stores in Hawaii from Jan. 24 to June 8.
California Splendor Inc. of San Diego, Calif., in March issued an earlier recall of certain lots of 4-lb. bags of Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Strawberries sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles and Hawaii.
Other brand names included in the recall are Rader Farms Organic and Wawona Frozen Foods, but their products were not sold in Hawaii.
Consumers should check their freezers for the recalled products based on lot codes and best by dates, the FDA said, and discard them or return them to the store for a refund.
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A full list is available in the Willamette recall announcement.
Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease resulting from exposure to the Hepatitis A virus.
Illness generally occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating or drinking contaminated food or water, according to the FDA.
Symptoms include fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, abnormal liver tests, dark urine and pale stool.
In rare cases, a Hepatatis A infection can progress to liver failure for those who are immune compromised or have a pre-existing severe illness.
Anyone who may have consumed the affected products in the last two weeks or who may have symptoms after eating these frozen organic strawberries should contact their health care provider.
To date, the FDA has reported nine illnesses and three hospitalizations — but no deaths — in Washington, California and Oregon.