Hepatitis Outbreak Prompts Alert Over Blackberries

METRO DETROIT, MI — Fresh blackberries sold at Fresh Thyme grocery stores have been linked to a hepatitis A outbreak across multiple states. The outbreak started in Nebraska, where state health officials launched an investigation that led the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to urge consumers in 11 states to check their fridges and freezers.

The FDA is warning residents in Illinois and 10 other states — Nebraska, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania — not to eat any remaining fresh blackberries purchased between Sept. 9 and Sept. 30, 2019, from Fresh Thyme grocery stores.

Fresh Thyme grocery stories are located in Troy, Canton and Farmington.

So far, 11 people who ate fresh, non-organic blackberries from Fresh Thyme grocery stores in Nebraska, Wisconsin and Indiana have become sick. Six of those sickened by the berries have been hospitalized.

The first illness linked to berries was report Oct. 15, and the most recent was Nov. 5. Those who have become ill range in age from 14 to 73 years. No deaths have been reported.

Customers who purchased blackberries from Fresh Thyme should do the following:

Check your freezer for these blackberries. If you froze them to eat later, do not eat them.

• Throw away any remaining blackberries.
• If you have eaten these blackberries, purchased fresh and later frozen, within the last 14 days and are not vaccinated against hepatitis A, contact your local health department or healthcare provider to discuss getting post-exposure prophylaxis (hepatitis A vaccine or immune globulin). Getting post-exposure prophylaxis within 14 days of exposure can help prevent illness.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool and blood of people who are infected and is spread when someone ingests the virus, usually through close personal contact with an infected person or from eating contaminated food or drink. Hepatitis A can be prevented with a vaccine, which is recommended for all children at age one and adults at risk.

In rare cases, hepatitis A can cause liver failure and even death. This is more common in older people and in people with other serious health issues, such as chronic liver disease. People who get hepatitis A may feel sick for a few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. In some people, though, the illness may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.

Although not everyone with hepatitis has symptoms, they include:

• Yellow skin or eyes
• Not wanting to eat
• Upset stomach
• Stomach pain
• Throwing up
• Fever
• Dark urine or light-colored stools
• Joint pain
• Diarrhea
• Feeling tired

Fresh Thyme has multiple locations in Illinois, including Joliet, Naperville, Downers Grove, Geneva, Chicago, Mount Prospect, River Forest and Crystal Lake.

The company issued the following statement on Tuesday saying all affected berries are no longer on shelves:

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control, in conjunction with other state and local agencies, have contacted us concerning a recent Hepatitis A outbreak in three states in the Midwest affecting an unspecified number of individuals. These agencies are investigating and believe that affected people may have consumed fresh conventional (non-organic) blackberries between September 9 and September 30, 2019. We are fully cooperating with these agencies on the investigation and are awaiting next steps.At this time, there is no reason to believe that any of the product was contaminated via handling in our stores. In addition, the agencies are ONLY concerned with product purchased between September 9 and September 30; product purchased or consumed outside of these dates are NOT subject to the investigation. We are working with these agencies to identify our suppliers and isolate the source of this contamination. Fresh Thyme takes the health and safety of our customers and our team members very seriously. Fresh Thyme Farmers Market has a stringent process for ensuring compliance to all local, state and federal health and hygiene regulations.Should any customers have any of the fresh conventional blackberries purchased between September 9 and September 30, remaining in their refrigerators or freezers, they should be discarded immediately or returned to Fresh Thyme for a refund. In Douglas County, NE, if you purchased any of these berries between September 9 and September 30, and still have them, please take them to the local health department for testing.