A Hepatitis A outbreak has caused the Food and Drug Administration to review two brands of organic strawberries for a possible link to the outbreak.
In an announcement released over the weekend, the FDA urged people not to eat FreshKampo and HEB strawberries that were purchased from March 5 to April 25.
The warning includes berries that were purchased and then frozen.
Read full FDA outbreak alert below and here.
The FDA, along with CDC, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, state, and local partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A infections in the United States and Canada potentially linked to fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo and HEB, purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022.
Currently, the potentially affected FreshKampo and HEB products are past shelf life. 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. These products were sold at the following retailers, including, but not limited to:
- Aldi
- HEB
- Kroger
- Safeway
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Trader Joe’s
- Walmart
- Weis Markets
- WinCo Foods
If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away.
Epidemiologic and traceback data show that fresh organic strawberries sold as FreshKampo and HEB brands that were purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, are a likely cause of illness in this outbreak. The traceback investigations show that cases in California, Minnesota, and Canada report having purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB prior to becoming ill. Illness onset dates range from March 28 – April 30, 2022.
As this investigation is ongoing, additional products may be included. More information will be provided in this advisory as it becomes available.
Recommendation
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not sell, serve, or eat any fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB if purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022. People who purchased the fresh strawberries and then froze those strawberries for later consumption should not eat them. They should be thrown away. Currently, the potentially affected product is past its shelf life. If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away.
If consumers purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, ate those berries in the last two weeks, and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A, they should immediately consult with their healthcare professional to determine whether post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed. PEP is recommended for unvaccinated people who have been exposed to hepatitis A virus in the last two weeks because vaccination can prevent a hepatitis A infection if given within 14 days of exposure. Those with evidence of previous hepatitis A vaccination or previous hepatitis A infection do not require PEP.
Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A infection after eating these fresh organic strawberries, or if you believe that you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks.
Case Counts
Total U.S. Illnesses: 17
Hospitalizations: 12
Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: April 30, 2022
States with Cases: CA (15), MN (1), ND (1)
Product Distribution: Nationwide
This is what we get when we allow Third World slave labor to harvest our fruit and vegetables.
I’ve never understood the logic behind PEP… so, you are naturally exposed to a virus so go get a vaccine to protect against the virus you just contracted? Huh? I guess I’m stuck in the odd school definition of vaccine.
HMMM…so now we’re told “organic” strawberries are unhealthy. I’ve heard that commercial strawberries are heavily dosed with pesticides (more research is needed here). I also recall that Monsanto’s lawyers fought tooth and nail to convince Americans and farmers everywhere that GMOs are perfectly safe. This was before more research came forward about the “microbiome” in our gut, and how GMOs disrupt and interfere with the microbiome! Isn’t it interesting how a “gut feeling” often steers us in the right direction?
Hmmm anything except looking at the jabs. If these strawberries are the cause, then why is hepatitis up in the UK and many other countries. Sorry while there may be a problem with these strawberries, it doesn’t pass the smell test.