Strawberries have been recalled due to a hepatitis A outbreak

The United States has had 17 cases of hepatitis A, with a dozen requiring hospitalization, and Canadian authorities have confirmed at least ten instances. Strawberries are being recalled as authorities investigate whether the fruit is to blame for more than a dozen confirmed hepatitis A cases in the United States and Canada.

Authorities have identified batches that were distributed between March 5 and April 25. Still, they are concerned about anyone who may have frozen the berries, according to a Food and Drug Administration news release.

“The traceback investigations reveal that cases in California, Minnesota, and Canada reported purchasing fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB before becoming ill,” according to the release. California was home to fifteen of the cases in the United States. 

According to a public health notice issued in Canada, the cases were discovered in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Infected batches may have been sold at Aldi, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Weis Markets, and WinCo Foods.

If a person is unsure where they purchased their strawberries or which brand they purchased, the FDA recommends throwing them away.

According to the Mayo Clinic, an academic medical center, hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by a virus and can impair liver function. It is usually transmitted through food or water contaminated with feces. An investigation is underway with the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.