Frozen fruit at Costco and Trader Joes recalled after hepatitis A outbreak

Emma Pitts
·2 min read
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Simply Nature frozen strawberries are pictured on the Food and Drug Administration’s website, Monday, March 20, 2023. According to an FDA press release, frozen strawberries have been possibly linked to hepatitis A in five people.
Simply Nature frozen strawberries are pictured on the Food and Drug Administration’s website, Monday, March 20, 2023. According to an FDA press release, frozen strawberries have been possibly linked to hepatitis A in five people. | FDA.gov

Stores around the U.S. are throwing out their frozen strawberries due to a potential link to a hepatitis A outbreak.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising people to throw out or return certain brands of frozen strawberries following the infection of five people with hepatitis A in the last year.

The FDA listed the companies affected by the recall in a press release. “Scenic Fruit Company of Gresham, Oregon is recalling frozen organic strawberries sold to Costco, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, PCC Community Markets and frozen organic tropical blend sold to Trader Joe’s due to an outbreak of Hepatitis A illnesses,” the release said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said hepatitis A has not been detected on these products specifically. Still, “Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries are the likely source of this outbreak,” the CDC said.

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Trader Joe’s said in a statement following the FDA’s press release that it has destroyed any potentially harmful products and has not had any illnesses reported regarding the frozen fruit.

“Two companies have since issued voluntary recalls in response to the investigation. California Splendor of San Diego recalled specific lots of 4-pound bags of Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries that were sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles, Hawaii and two San Diego business centers,” an NPR article said.

According to the CDC, hepatitis A is a “contagious liver infection” brought on by close contact with someone who has the virus or contaminated food consumption. Symptoms are normally found in the infected’s stool and blood. Possible signs of hepatitis A include jaundice, fever, stomach pain and joint pain.

The FDA urges customers who may have consumed these products, whether feeling symptoms or not, to contact a medical professional immediately for a potential vaccination or medication.