Townsend Farms has notified Costco that an FDA test found that a domestic conventional frozen blackberry product that was manufactured by Townsend Farms may be contaminated with hepatitis A. The FDA issued a food safety alert about Kroger frozen blackberries and frozen berry medley for the same issue earlier this week. That alert has been updated with more information. Townsend Farms is the supplier for the Kroger frozen berry products and for the newly announced recalled product: frozen Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend product sold by Costco. The recalled frozen Kirkland Signature brand Three Berry Blend was sold from the Costco stores in San Diego and Los Angeles in California and in Hawaii. The berries were sold in a 4 pound bag. The best by dates range from February 16, … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Stands at 155 Sick
As of July 29, 2013, there are 155 people confirmed sick with acute hepatitis A linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix, according to the CDC. Sixty-seven people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. The outbreak case count is: Arizona (23), California (76), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (9), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The age range is between 1 and 84 years. Eleven children age 18 and under are sick; none were previously vaccinated against hepatitis A. Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 to 7/14/13. Forty-three percent of those sickened have been hospitalized. All ill persons who reported eating the recalled product purchased it from Costco markets. The outbreak strain of the … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Townsend Farms Berries Now at 151 Sick
The multi-state hepatitis A outbreak linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix sold at Costco stores has grown to include 151 sickened. Sixty-six people have been hospitalized in this outbreak. No deaths have been reported. The case count by state is: Arizona (22), California (74), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (9), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The age range of patients is from 1 to 84 years. Fifty-seven percent of patients are between the ages of 40 and 64 years. All ill persons who reported eating the recalled Townsend Farms products bought it from Costco stores. The outbreak strain of the hepatitis A virus was found in clinical specimens of 89 people in seven states. If you ate or touched this product, please … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Townsend Farms Pomegranate Seeds Now at 149 Sick
As of July 17, 2013, 149 people are now sick in the hepatitis A outbreak linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix. Sixty-five people have been hospitalized in this outbreak with acute hepatitis A. No deaths have been reported. The case count is as follows: Arizona (22), California (73), Colorado (27), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (8), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The outbreak strain of the virus was found in clinical specimens of 88 people in seven states: Arizona (11), California (34), Colorado (23), Hawaii (7), New Mexico (6), Nevada (5) and Wisconsin (2). The age range of patients is from 1 to 84 years. Fifty-seven percent of those sickened are between the ages of 40 and 64. Ten children who are 18 years or younger have been … [Read more...]
Hepatitis Still Being Tracked in Costco Berry Blend Outbreak
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said this week that it is still tracking hepatitis A cases throughout the country as part of its surveillance of a Hep A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend of berries and pomegranate seeds sold at Costco stores. Oregon-based Townsend Farms issued recalls of the frozen berry mix starting in early June, two months after the first illnesses were detected. As of July 15, there were 147 confirmed case patients from California, Colorado, Arizona and five other states. At least 63 of the Hepatitis victims were hospitalized. New illnesses were occurring as recently as July 1 and the CDC has not declared the Townsend Farms outbreak to be complete. Joint announcements by the CDC and FDA have indicated … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows to 140 Sick
The CDC has announced that the hepatitis A outbreak linked to pomegranate seeds imported from Turkey has grown to include 140 people. Sixty-one people have been hospitalized in this outbreak; no deaths have been reported. The seeds were included in the Townsend Farms product Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix that has been recalled. Those sickened in this outbreak live in these states: Arizona (20), California (69), Colorado (26), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (6), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). All of those hospitalized are over 18 years of age. Eight children are sick in this outbreak; none were previously vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus. All ill persons who reported eating the recalled Townsend Farms product purchased it from Costco markets. … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Pomegranate Seed Hepatitis A Outbreak Now at 136
The hepatitis A outbreak linked to Townsend Farms-Costco pomegranate seeds has now sickened 136 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of July 2, 2013, people are sick in 8 states, and 59 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. The case count by state is: Arizona (20), California (67), Colorado (25), Hawaii (7), New Mexico (6), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). Eight children are part of this outbreak; none of them were previously vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus. Most people (58%) in this outbreak are between the ages of 40 and 64 years. All ill persons who reported eating the recalled Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix linked to the outbreak purchased it at Costco stores. … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Expands Frozen Berry Blend Recall
Townsend Farms is expanding its recall of Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend that is linked to a hepatitis A outbreak in eight states. There is a "clear association" between the hepatitis A illness outbreak and one lot of organic pomegranate seeds used in the recalled product. The lot was imported from Turkey through Goknur and Purely Pomegranate, Inc. The product has been tested and the results to date have not detected hepatitis A. The recalled product is a 3 pound bag with UPC number 0 78414 40444 8. The recall codes are on the back of the package with the words "BEST BY" followed by the code T122114 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter. That means a "best by" date of 12/21/14 through 5/31/15. All letter designations are included in this recall. Epidemiological … [Read more...]
FDA Detains Pomegranate Seeds Imported from Goknur of Turkey
The FDA is detaining shipments of pomegranate seeds from Goknur Gida Maddeleri Ithalat thracat Tic (Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading) of Turkey when they are offered for import into the country. This action is from the investigation into the hepatitis A outbreak linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix sold at Costco stores. That outbreak has sickened 127 people in eight states as of June 27, 2013. The FDA and CDC have determined that the most likely vehicle for the virus is a common shipment of pomegranate seeds from Goknur used by Townsend Farms to make the product that was recalled in June. The seeds were also used to make the recalled Scenic Fruit Company Woodstock Frozen Organic Pomegranate Kernels. Michael R. Taylor, deputy … [Read more...]
Townsend-Costco Hepatitis A Outbreak Count Now at 127
For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have used the word "linked" to refer to the multistate outbreak of hepatitis A infections and Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries sold at Costco stores. Now 127 people have been sickened in this outbreak. Fifty five people have been hospitalized. The investigation has revealed that the most likely vehicle for the hepatitis A virus is a common shipment of pomegranate seeds from Turkey used by Scenic Fruit Company to make the recalled Woodstock Frozen Organic Pomegranate Kernels and by Townsend Farms to make their recalled product. The pomegranate seeds from this shipment were the only ingredient common to all of the recalled products. The case count per state in this outbreak is: Arizona (17), … [Read more...]
