The Food and Drug Administration is investigating two new outbreaks. Sources of the pathogens involved have not yet been identified.
In an outbreak of infections of Salmonella Paratyphi B var. L(+) tartrate+ there are 31 confirmed patients. The FDA reports that it has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food or foods are being traced.
In an outbreak of infections from the microscopic cyclospora parasite, 28 patients have been confirmed. As with the Salmonella outbreak, the FDA has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food or foods are being traced.
In ongoing outbreak news, an investigation into a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A infections has led the FDA to identify additional brands of frozen strawberries that could be contaminated. Five new products have been recalled.
The new findings include frozen strawberry products sold at Walmart, Costco, and HEB stores under the Great Value and Rader Farms brands and distributed by Willamette Valley Fruit. The company has recalled the implicated products.
The outbreak has sickened nine people across three states as of June 13. Three people have been so sick they required hospitalization. No deaths have been reported. Sick people live in Washington, Oregon, and California.
Great Value products subject to the recall are frozen mixed fruit in 4-pound bags, sliced strawberries in 4-pound bags, and antioxidant fruit blend in 2-pound bags.
The Great Value products were sold in Walmart stores in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Rader Farms products subject to recall are organic Fresh Start smoothie blend in 48-ounce bags sold at Costco stores and organic berry trio in 3-pound bags sold at HEB stores.
Rader Farms’ organic Fresh Start smoothie bend was sold at Costco stores in Colorado, Texas, California, and Arizona. Rader Farms’ organic berry trio was sold at HEB stores in Texas.
There have been multiple recalls previously posted in relation to the outbreak. All of the recalls involve frozen strawberries from the same growing region in Mexico.
Previous recalls include Wawona Frozen Foods products distributed as Organic DayBreak Blend sold in Costco Wholesale stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington; California Splendor supplied products sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles and Hawaii, and to two San Diego business centers; Scenic Fruit supplied products sold in Costco, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in specific states; and to Trader Joe’s nationwide. The retailer Meijer also issued a recall of certain frozen strawberry products in relation to the outbreak.
“This is not an exhaustive list of products or stores,” according to the Food and Drug Administration’s update. “FDA is continuing to work with the firms to identify potential additional product information.”
For a complete list of products recalled so far, plus product photos, please click here.
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