Strawberry lovers in the United States and Canada, pay attention.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about a multi-state outbreak of Hepatitis A that may be connected to a dozen hospitalizations in California, Minnesota and Canada, plus five other cases not requiring a hospital, from March 28 to April 30.
Although the product has already passed the expiration date, there is concern that some people may have purchased the fruit and then frozen it for future use.
The infections are “potentially linked” to fresh organic strawberries marketed under the FreshKampo and HEB brands.
“Do not eat, serve, or sell FreshKampo or HEB brand organic strawberries purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022,” the FDA warned.
“People who purchased FreshKampo and HEB fresh organic strawberries between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, and then froze those strawberries for later consumption should not eat them.”
The possibly-tainted strawberries were sold at retailers including Aldi, HEB, Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Weis Markets and WinCo Foods, the FDA said.
Hepatitis A is a viral inflammation of the liver that is a highly contagious and can affect liver function, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of the virus range from yellow skin or eyes, upset stomach, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, dark urine, diarrhea and joint pain, among others.
Anyone experiencing such symptoms is urged to contact a healthcare professional.
