Strawberry products recalled due to possible hepatitis A risks

Hannah Murdock
·2 min read
4
Fresh strawberries at the CJJ Farms stand at the Old Oakland Farmers’ Market in Oakland, Calif. on Feb. 3, 2006. Select frozen strawberry products have been recalled due to a possible hepatitis A contamination.
Fresh strawberries at the CJJ Farms stand at the Old Oakland Farmers’ Market in Oakland, Calif. on Feb. 3, 2006. Select frozen strawberry products have been recalled due to a possible hepatitis A contamination. | Paul Chinn, San Francisco Chronicle via Associated Press

Packages of frozen strawberries are being recalled due to a possible hepatitis A contamination.

An outbreak of hepatitis A virus infections has been linked to frozen organic strawberries that were grown in Mexico, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced as it warned consumers to throw away or return the affected products.

Hepatitis A is a “contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus,” that in rare cases can cause liver failure and even death, according to the CDC.

Nine cases of the virus have been reported across three states — California, Oregon, and Washington — with three people being hospitalized due to the illness.

The FDA and CDC’s investigation into the outbreak found that frozen organic strawberries imported from certain farms in Baja California, Mexico. are “the likely source of this outbreak,” according to the CDC.

Products recalled

In response, Willamette Valley Fruit Co., located in Salem, Oregon, issued a voluntary recall of select packages of frozen fruit that contain strawberries.

Here are the products that have been recalled based on where they are sold, according to the FDA:

Walmart

  • Great Value Sliced Strawberries.

  • Great Value Mixed Fruit.

  • Great Value Antioxidant Blend.

Distributed to stores in: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Costco Wholesale Stores

  • Rader Farms Organic Fresh Start Smoothie Blend (distributed to stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas.

HEB

  • Rader Farms Organic Berry Trio (distributed to stores in Texas).

See a complete list of products with photos here.