Kroger is recalling frozen berries that might be contaminated with Hepatitis A. Here's how worried you should be.

Advertisement
Kroger is recalling frozen berries that might be contaminated with Hepatitis A. Here's how worried you should be.

Frozen food

Advertisement
  • The FDA found evidence of Hepatitis A, a contagious liver disease, in a selection of frozen berries sold at Kroger grocery stores nationwide.
  • The berries are manufactured by Townsend Farms, a wholesaler whose items have been linked to Hepatitis A in the past.
  • Kroger said that no customers have become ill yet, but symptoms of Hepatitis A - including fever, nausea, and jaundice - could take up to 50 days to manifest.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Smoothies have started to sound a lot less appealing this summer.

A recent investigation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found evidence of Hepatitis A, a contagious liver disease, in a selection of frozen berries sold at Kroger grocery stores nationwide.

The potentially contaminated items hail from Kroger's Private Selection brand, which is sold at both traditional Kroger stores and other retail locations within the company's umbrella.

Read more: What a food poisoning expert never eats

Advertisement

In an announcement on June 7, Kroger said that no customers have become ill from consuming the products, but the items have been recalled and removed from store shelves.

The products in question include two sizes of Kroger's Private Selection Frozen Triple Berry Medley (48 ounce and 16 ounce) and one size of its Private Selection Frozen Blackberries (16 ounce).

kroger

All three items were manufactured by Townsend Farms, a wholesaler in Oregon whose products have been linked to Hepatitis A in the past. In 2013, the company faced multiple lawsuits after one of its items, an Organic Antioxidant Berry Blend, was said to be contaminated with the virus. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) associated 165 cases of Hepatitis A with the blend, which was sold in Costco stores across five states.

In its online statement on the FDA website, Kroger warned people not to consume the frozen berries. People who have purchased the items can return them "for a full refund or replacement," the company said.

Advertisement

The CDC reports that symptoms of Hepatitis A can take up to 50 days to manifest. The virus can produce fever, fatigue, nausea, abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice (the yellowing of the skin and eyes). Symptoms typically don't last beyond two months, though the CDC reports that some patients - around 10% to 15% - have seen symptoms for up to six months.

Receiving a Hepatitis A vaccination within two weeks of exposure could prevent illness, so people who have might have consumed the berries should consult their doctor right away.

{{}}