A package of frozen strawberries sold at Costco was found to contain the hepatitis A virus, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Wednesday, marking the third time the virus has been found in frozen berries from the retailer.
The positive sample was taken from a batch of Kirkland Signature Grade A Fancy Strawberries that had already been sold in stores, the FDA said.
The strawberries originated in Mexico and expire on Aug. 5 next year, the agency said.
Photo courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration
Previously flagged batches of mixed berries and blueberries were from Chile and the US.
Of the 1,546 bags imported in the batch, 33 are in storage and 1,513 had been sold, the FDA said.
The product was removed from shelves on April 30, and a recall was issued for all unexpired Kirkland Signature frozen berry products on May 5.
Between May 1 and Tuesday, the FDA had taken 74 samples from Costco stores, finding one positive for the hepatitis A virus. Thirty are still undergoing testing.
Costco has been requested to submit a report on the issue by May 31, the FDA said, adding that imports of affected products have been halted until rectification measures are made.
Asked what might be the cause, considering that all three batches come from different sources, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Department of Clinical Toxicology director Yen Tsung-hai (顏宗海) said that polluted water is likely the culprit.
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