Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Health
Emma Bowman, NPR

Frozen strawberries sold at Costco, Trader Joe's, recalled after hepatitis A outbreak

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
A frozen organic strawberry product subject to the recalls is pictured in a photo provided by the FDA.
A frozen organic strawberry product subject to the recalls is pictured in a photo provided by the FDA.
Food and Drug Administration

Frozen organic strawberries sold at stores across the U.S., including Costco, Aldi and Trader Joe's, have been recalled over the product's potential link to an outbreak of hepatitis A infections in Washington state.

The Food and Drug Administration is advising people not to consume certain frozen strawberry brands after five people who had eaten frozen strawberries last year were later sickened. Two people were hospitalized, according to the federal agency.

An FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigation discovered that all five people infected had bought the same brand of frozen organic strawberries before becoming ill. Those berries, which came from a common supplier that imported them from some farms in Baja California, Mexico, "are the likely source of this outbreak," the CDC said.

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.

Scenic Fruit Company, based in Gresham, Ore., recalled frozen organic strawberries sold in several states — at Costco, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood and PCC Community Markets. The company also recalled a frozen organic tropical fruit blend, that includes strawberries, sold at Trader Joe's locations nationwide.

The recall applies to the frozen products sold under the following brand names: Simply Nature, Vital Choice, Kirkland Signature, Made With, PCC Community Markets and Trader Joe's.

The FDA urges consumers to destroy these products or return it to their local store for a refund "out of an abundance of caution."

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection, according to the CDC, often spread via close contact with an infected person or through eating contaminated food or drink. Symptoms, which could take as many as seven weeks to show up, can include vomiting, stomach pain, dark urine or pale stool, diarrhea and fatigue.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.