Hepatitis Outbreak Linked To Strawberries At These NY Stores

NEW YORK - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to toss strawberries sold at several popular New York supermarkets due to hepatitis A concerns.

Along with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the FDA is investigating a multistate hepatitis A outbreak linked to fresh organic strawberries sold at stores like Aldi, Walmart and Trader Joe's (see full list below). The strawberries were sold between March 5 and April 25 under the brand names FreshKampo and HEB. While the strawberries are past shelf life, those who froze the berries for later consumption should dispose of the berries immediately, regulators said.

The products were sold at the following stores, according to the FDA:

• Aldi
• HEB (no stores in NY)
• Kroger (no stores in NY)
• Safeway (no stores in NY)
• Sprouts Farmers Market (no stores in NY)
• Trader Joe's
• Walmart
• Weis Markets
• WinCo Foods (no stores in NY)

"If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away," the FDA advised in a statement.

Traceback investigations show cases in California, Minnesota and Canada. So far, there haven't been any reports of illness from consumers in New York.

Hepatitis A illness usually occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating contaminated food, according to the FDA. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine and pale stool. Chronic hepatitis A infection can lead to severe health problems, including liver failure and death.

Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A infection, or if you believe that you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks.