Organic Strawberries: Is There a Link Between These Fruits and Possible Outbreak of Hepatitis A in the US, Canada? FDA, CDC Investigate

The United States Food and Drug Administration said in a statement Saturday that it is currently investigating a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A infection in the US and Canada that appears to be associated with fresh, organic strawberries.

The Wall Street Journal reported two brands of organic strawberries, particularly those sold at major chains, namely Trader Joe's and Walmart, may be associated with the outbreak.

The agency said the possibly contaminated fruit carried a FreshKampo or H-E-B label. Anyone who bought the said brands of berries from March five to April 25 and froze them for later use must get rid of them immediately, urged the FDA.

The government agency conducting its investigation along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 17 individuals have fallen ill, with 12 hospital admissions. In a statement posted on its website, H-E-B, based in Texas, said its strawberries are safe for consumption.

Possible Cause of Illness in the Outbreak

As specified in the said FDA statement, Epidemiologic and traceback data shows that fresh organic strawberries sold with FreshKampo and HEB labels purchased on the said dates are a possible cause of illness in this outbreak.

Investigations on the traceback reveal that California, Minnesota, and Canada cases report having bought fresh organic strawberries labeled as "FreshKampo or HEB" before turning ill. The onset dates of the illness ranged from March 28 to April 30, 2022.

Since the investigation is ongoing, more products may be added. More so, additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

The statement indicated that consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not sell, serve or eat fresh organic strawberry products with the aforementioned brands if purchased on the said dates.

Importance of Vaccination Against Hepatitis A

Those who purchased the fresh strawberries and then froze them to consume later are advised not to eat them. Instead, they should throw the said organic fruit away.

At present, a similar MarketWatch report specified that the possibly affected product has gone beyond its shelf life. For those unsure of the brand they purchased, when the product was purchased, or where it was bought before frozen, the FDA advised them to throw them away.

Suppose consumers bought the strawberries with the said brand within the dates, consumed those fruits in the past two weeks, and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis. In that case, they need to immediately consult with their doctor to determine whether post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP is necessary.

PEP is recommended for unvaccinated individuals who have been exposed to the virus in the past two weeks since vaccination can prevent a hepatitis A infection if administered within 14 days of exposure.

Meanwhile, people who have evidence of previous hepatitis A vaccination or previous hepatitis A infection do not need PEP.

A report about the organic strawberries possibly causing hepatitis A is shown on WXYZ-TV Detroit's YouTube video below:

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