A hepatitis A frozen strawberries outbreak in Washington state has sickened at least five people, according to the FDA. Three of the cases are confirmed, and two are probable, as of March 17, 2022. Two patients have been hospitalized because they are so sick.
And two recalls of organic frozen strawberries have been issued. California Splendor recalled Kirkland Signature 4 pound bag of frozen organic strawberries sold in in California and Hawaii; and Scenic Fruit recalled certain lots of these brand names: Simply Nature, Vital Choice, Kirkland Signature, Made With, PCC Community Markets, and Trader Joe’s Organic Tropical Fruit Blend. All are frozen organic strawberries. If you have any of these products in your home, discard them. More products may be recalled as the investigation continues.
The berries were grown in Baja California, Mexico, and were imported by a common supplier that has not been named. The strain of hepatitis A that has sickened people in this outbreak is genetically identical to the strain that caused a hepatitis A outbreak in 2022. That 2022 outbreak was linked to fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico and it sickened at least 19 people in four states.
Symptoms of a hepatitis A infection include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomirting, abdominal pain, itching, dark urine, light stools, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin and eyes. These symptoms appear within 15 to 50 days of eating food contaminated with the virus. People most affected are those with compromised immune systems and liver disease.
If you have eaten any of these recalled strawberries within the last two weeks you may be eligible for a hepatitis A vaccine so contact your doctor. If you ate these berries and have been ill with the symptoms of hepatitis A you may be part of this frozen strawberries hepatitis A outbreak.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
