According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fresh strawberries have been linked to a hepatitis A outbreak in North America, prompting an urgent recall.

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The recall includes strawberries from the FreshKampo and HEB brands because the CDC and FDA suspect they may be the source of a hepatitis A outbreak. According to a report from the FDA, at least 17 people have been infected and 12 have been hospitalized due to liver illness in the United States. Fortunately, there have been no deaths reported.When commenting on the recall, the FDA issued the following tweet:“The FDA, along with CDC, Canadian, state, and local partners are investigating a multi-state outbreak of hepatitis A in the U.S. & Canada potentially linked to fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo & HEB, purchased between March 5 & April 25."On its website, the FDA noted that the affected strawberries were sold at a handful of retailers, including Aldi, HEB Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Weis Markets, and WinCo Foods. They were available between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022. If you happened to purchase the recalled strawberries during that time and “froze them for later use,” you should throw them away.Anyone who consumed the recalled berries should seek medical attention immediately. The FDA stated:“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.”

Sources:

Strawberries recalled due to hepatitis A outbreak across several states and in CanadaOutbreak Investigation of Hepatitis A Virus: Strawberries (May 2022)