FDA Announce Additional Frozen Fruit Recall: Hepatitis A Contamination

Last week, the FDA issued an announcement recalling multiple kinds of frozen fruit by Willamette Valley Fruit Co. The company is recalling the Great Value sliced strawberries, mixed fruit, and antioxidant blend. Additional recalls include Radar Farms’ organic fresh start smoothie blend and organic berry trio.

Based out of Salem, OR, the company announced the recall on January 12, 2023, identifying the leading cause as potential hepatitis A contamination in strawberries grown in Mexico. The potentially contaminated products were included in multiple types of frozen fruit distributed by Walmart, Costco Wholesale, and HEB.

The company announced that the affected products were sold in multiple states. The Great Value products were sold in Walmart stores across 32 states between January 24, 2023, and June 8, 2023.

The Radar Farms organic fresh start smoothie blend was distributed by Costco Wholesale stores in Colorado, Texas, California, and Arizona between October 3, 2022, and June 8, 2023.

Finally, HEB stores in Texas sold the Radar Farms organic berry trio between July 18, 2022, and June 8, 2023.

This announcement follows an earlier recall in March 2023 by Scenic Fruit Company. The recall applied to frozen strawberries sold by Aldi, Trader Joe’s, and Costco. An additional company, California Splendor, also issued a recall around the same time.

In all these cases, hepatitis A was the culprit. The CDC defines hepatitis A as a contagious viral infection commonly contracted by ingesting contaminated food and drink. The disease is known to cause jaundice, decreased appetite, vomiting, joint pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal pain.

Although many infected individuals may be asymptomatic due to early childhood vaccinations, severe cases — especially those in unvaccinated people — can cause liver failure and chronic health issues.

As of June 19, 2023, no illnesses from these recalls were reported; however, the organization cautioned people to check their frozen fruit for potential recalls. Additionally, the announcement notes, “Persons who may have consumed affected product should consult with their healthcare professional or local health department to determine if a vaccination is appropriate, and consumers with symptoms of hepatitis A should contact their healthcare professionals or the local health department immediately.”