FDA investigates organic strawberries tied to possible hepatitis A outbreak

Two brands of organic strawberries sold at major chains such as Trader Joe’s and Walmart may be linked to an outbreak of hepatitis A, the Food and Drug Administration said. 

The FDA said in a statement Saturday that it is investigating a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A infections in the U.S. and Canada that appears to be linked to fresh, organic strawberries. 

The potentially tainted fruit carried a FreshKampo or H-E-B label, the FDA said. Anyone who purchased those brands of berries between March 5 and April 25 and froze them for later consumption should get rid of them immediately, the agency urged.  

The products were sold at stores such as Aldi, H-E-B, Kroger
KR,
+1.57%,
Safeway and Weis Markets, along with Trader Joe’s and Walmart
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the FDA said. 

The FDA, which is conducting its investigation along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said 17 people have been sickened thus far, with 12 hospitalizations.  In a statement on its website, Texas-based H-E-B said its strawberries are safe to consume.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.

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