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Frozen organic strawberries sold at retailers nationwide have been recalled for potentially causing an outbreak of hepatitis A, a liver infection that can be fatal for older adults and those with underlying health conditions, according to an announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Scenic Fruit Company of Oregon is recalling products that contain frozen strawberries that were sold to Costco Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, PCC Community Markets and Trader Joe’s, among other retailers.
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The specific items recalled are:
- Simply Nature 24-ounce organic strawberries with a “best before” date of June 14, 2024, and UPC number 4099100256222 that were sold in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
- Vital Choice 16-ounce organic strawberries with a “best before” date of May 20, 2024, and UPC number 834297005024 that were sold in Washington.
- Kirkland Signature 4-pound organic strawberries with a “best before” date of Oct. 8, 2024, and UPC number 96619140404 that were sold in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
- Made With 10-ounce organic strawberries with a “best before” date of Nov. 20, 2024, and UPC number 814343021390 that were sold in Illinois and Maryland.
- PCC Community Markets 32-ounce organic strawberries with a “best before” date of Oct. 29, 2024, and UPC number 22827109469 that were sold in Washington state.
- Trader Joe’s 16-ounce Organic Tropical Fruit Blend pineapples, bananas, strawberries and mango with “best before” dates ranging from April 25, 2024, to June 7, 2024, with a UPC number 00511919, sold nationwide.
Courtesy U.S. Food & Drug Administration
As of May 5, there were nine outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A reported from Washington state. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Nov. 24, 2022 to April 12, 2023. Ill people ranged in age from 38 to 64 years old. There have been at least three hospitalizations but no deaths reported.
The strawberries were imported from farms in Baja California, Mexico, by a common supplier.
Advice to consumers
Although hepatitis A has not been detected on these products, out of an abundance of caution, customers are advised not to eat them and return them to their local store for a refund.
