Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has alerted consumers to a food recall of a frozen mixed berries product that is potentially linked to three hepatitis A cases.
Acting FSANZ CEO Glen Neal said public health agencies are still testing the product to determine if frozen mixed berries are the cause, however, as a precaution, the supplier has initiated a consumer level recall of the product.
““The supplier is advising anyone who has Creative Gourmet frozen mixed berries 300gm packs with a best before date of 15 January 2021 at home to check their freezer and return any opened or unopened product to the place of purchase for a full refund or dispose of them,” said Neal.
Consumers should not be concerned about purchasing or consuming any other frozen berry brands or batches of Creative Gourmet product.
The berries in question were imported in early 2015 and there is no evidence of cases of hepatitis A associated with imported berries since border controls were put in place in February 2015.
“The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services is working with the supplier who has advised that all frozen berry products are tested before distribution for hepatitis A, E. coli and coliforms and that no tests to date have returned a positive result,” said Neal.
Hepatitis A is a short-term illness that rarely results in symptoms in young children.
Symptoms in older children and adults include abdominal pain, nausea, fever and chills and yellow skin or eyes.
While symptoms are not usually severe, vulnerable people, for example people with suppressed immune systems can become seriously affected.
