Urgent fruit recall: hepatitis outbreak alarms experts
Created: 09/04/2022, 05:05
By: Caroline Schäfer
A frozen berry mix is affected by a recall.
Hepatitis A virus was discovered in it.
As a result, several people fell ill in Hungary.
Kassel – After visiting a restaurant in Hungary, several guests fell ill with hepatitis A. Now the trigger has apparently been found.
According to the European Commission's rapid alert system RASFF, frozen berries were behind the hepatitis outbreak.
As a result of the cases of illness, they were examined.
The result of a Hungarian laboratory is clear.
Hepatitis A viruses were detected in a 2.5 kilogram pack of the item "Ardo Fruitberry Mix".
Shortly thereafter, the Ardo Group, based in Belgium, published a recent recall.
Frozen berries are currently affected by a recall.
(symbol photo) © Westend61/Imago
Urgent fruit recall launched: frozen berries recalled due to hepatitis A virus
This product is currently under recall:
product | Ardo Fruitberry Mix |
|---|---|
Packaging Unit | 2.5 kilograms |
Batch number | 58622131 |
best before date | May 2024 |
Manufacturer | ardo |
The "Ardo Fruitberry Mix" is affected by a recall.
© Screenshot/productwarning.eu
According to the manufacturer, the 1-kilogram packaging with the batch numbers 58622130 and 58622131 and the best-before date of November 2024 were also recalled as a precaution.
Fruit recall: manufacturer of deep-feeling berries wants to "thoroughly" investigate the incident
"We regret that this incident has occurred despite all the precautions and care we take to grow, harvest and process our produce in a safe and high-quality manner," the manufacturer said in a statement.
"All necessary measures" will be taken to improve existing processes.
In addition, in view of the recall, Ardo will seek a "thorough investigation" into the incident to determine the cause of the contamination.
A quality officer is already in action, as it was said.
Fruit recalled: berries were mainly sold in restaurants
The manufacturer pointed out that the products were primarily processed in catering establishments and sold through wholesalers and cash & carry markets.
Customers who purchased the products affected by the recall have now been contacted.
Even if, according to the company, all patients are healthy again, an acute hepatitis infection is a serious illness.
According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), the hepatitis A virus can cause inflammation of the liver.
Infection with the virus is possible through the consumption of contaminated food – usually with the stool of an infected person.
Urgent recall: Hepatitis A disease after fruit consumption - these are possible symptoms
The disease is usually milder in children than in adults.
The symptoms usually persist for a few days to several weeks, and the disease is rarely life-threatening.
According to the BZgA, these symptoms can occur:
nausea
Vomit
stomach pain
General malaise
High temperature
Jaundice with yellowing of the skin and conjunctiva
Dark urine
discolored stool
Severe itching of the skin
A similar hepatitis incident had recently occurred in the United States.
There, organic strawberries from Aldi, Walmart and Co. were considered as a possible cause of a hepatitis outbreak.
(Karolin Schaefer)
