Officials say hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen organic strawberries is growing

Another patient has been identified in an ongoing outbreak of hepatitis A infections traced to frozen organic strawberries.

As of its update posted July 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 10 people from four states have been infected. Four people have been hospitalized. The states where the sick people reside are Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii.

The hepatitis A virus strain causing illnesses in this outbreak is genetically identical to the strain that caused a foodborne hepatitis A outbreak in 2022, which was linked to fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico, and sold at various retailers.

Illness onset dates in the current outbreak range from Nov. 24, 2022, through June 4, 2023. Additional patients are likely unidentified because many people fail to seek medical attention despite the long lasting symptoms of hepatitis A infection. 

Also, it can take from 14 to 50 days for symptoms to develop, making it difficult to determine how patients became infected.

However, in interviews with the 10 patients in this outbreak, all 10 reported eating frozen strawberries two to seven weeks before becoming ill. All of the implicated strawberries came from Baja California, Mexico, and are from a common supplier, according to investigators with the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration.

Several recalls have been initiated, but the long life of frozen berries suggests that some of the recalled products are likely still in consumers’ homes. Traceback and epidemiological investigations show that people with outbreak-associated cases purchased the same retail brand of frozen organic strawberries prior to becoming ill. 

To view recalled products click here.

In response to this investigation, California Splendor, Inc. of San Diego, CA, certain lots of 4-lb. bags of Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries that were sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles, California; Hawaii; and two San Diego, California business centers. The lots subject to this recall include: 140962-08, 142222-23, 142792-54, 142862-57, 142912-59, 142162-20, 142202-21, 142782-53, 142852-56, 142902-58, 142212-22, 142232-24, 142842-55.

In response to this investigation, Scenic Fruit Company of Gresham, OR, frozen organic strawberries, sold to Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in certain states. Products subject to this recall include:

Brand Name	Product Name	Net Wt.	UPC	Best By Date, Best If Use Date, Best Before Date	Distributed in States
Simply Nature	Organic Strawberries	24 oz.	40991002 56222	6/14/2024	Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
Vital Choice	Organic Strawberries	16 oz.	8342970 05024	5/20/2024	Washington
Kirkland Signature	Organic Strawberries	4 lbs.	966191 40404	10/8/2024	Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington
Made With	Organic Strawberries	10 oz.	8143430 21390	11/20/2024	Illinois, Maryland
PCC Community Markets	Organic Strawberries	32 oz.	228271 09469	29/10/2024	Washington
Trader Joe’s	Organic Tropical Fruit Blend Pineapple, Bananas, Strawberries & Mango	16 oz.	511919	04/25/24, 05/12/24, 05/23/24, 05/30/24, 06/07/24	Nationwide

On March 17, 2023, a retailer, Meijer, also issued press for Made-With brand frozen organic strawberries from certain market store locations.

In response to this investigation, on June 7, 2023, Wawona Frozen Foods of Clovis, California, initiated a of year-old packages of Wawona brand Organic DayBreak Blend 4-lb. bags that were distributed to Costco Wholesale stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington from April 15, 2022, to June 26, 2022, with “Use By” dates of 9/23/2023, 9/29/2023, 9/30/2023, and 10/18/2023:

Table depicts voluntary recall of year-old packages of Wawona brand Organic DayBreak Blend 4-lb. bags that were distributed to Costco Wholesale stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington from April 15, 2022, to June 26, 2022, with “Use By” dates of 9/23/2023, 9/29/2023, 9/30/2023, and 10/18/2023.

Best If Used By 09/23/2023	Best If Used By 09/29/2023	Best If Used By 09/30/2023	Best If Used By 10/18/2023
Affected Lot Codes:	Affected Lot Codes:	Affected Lot Codes:	Affected Lot Codes:
20082D04	20088D04	20089D09	20108D04
20082D05	20088D05	20089D10	20108D05
20082D06	20088D06	20089D11	20108D06
20082D07	20088D07	20089D12	20108D07
20082D08	20088D08		20108D08
	20088D09
	20088D10
	20088D11
	20088D12

In response to this investigation, on June 12, 2023, Willamette Valley Fruit Co. of Salem, Oregon, select packages of frozen fruit containing strawberries distributed to the following retailers: Walmart (from January 24, 2023, to June 8, 2023), Costco Wholesale Stores (from October 3, 2022, to June 8, 2023), and HEB (from July 18, 2022, to June 8, 2023). Products subject to this recall include:

Retailer	Product Name	Net weight	Lot Code	Best By Date	Distributed in States
Walmart	Great Value Sliced Strawberries	4 lbs.	4018305 4019305	7/19/2024 7/20/2024	AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV, WY
Great Value Mixed Fruit	4 lbs.	4024205 4025305 4032305 4033305 4034305 4035305	7/25/2024 7/26/2024 8/2/2024 8/3/2024 8/4/2024 8/5/2024
Great Value Antioxidant Fruit Blend	40 oz.	4032305	8/2/2024
Costco Wholesale	Rader Farms Fresh Start Smoothie Blend	48 oz. bag containing six 8 oz. pouches	4224202 4313202 4314202 4363202 4364202 4017302 4018302 4042306 4043306 4060306	2/11/2024 5/10/2024 5/11/2024 6/29/2024 6/30/2024 7/18/2024 7/19/2024 8/12/2024 8/13/2024 8/30/2024	AZ, CA, CO, TX
HEB	Rader Farms Organic Berry Trio	3 lbs.	4153205 4283202 4284202 4058302 4059302	12/02/2023 4/10/2024 4/11/2024 8/28/2024 8/29/2024	TX

FDA’s investigation is ongoing; additional products might be included in the future.

About hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable, liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV).

Not everyone with hepatitis A has symptoms. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. If symptoms develop, they usually appear two to seven weeks, at an average of 28-30 days, after infection. Symptoms usually last less than two months, although some people can be ill for as long as six months.

If symptoms develop, they can include yellow skin or eyes, not wanting to eat, upset stomach throwing up, stomach pain, fever, dark urine or light-colored stools, diarrhea, joint pain, feeling tired.

Even if no symptoms are present people can still spread the infection. In addition, a person can transmit hepatitis A to others up to two weeks before symptoms appear.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News,click here)