Despite the suspect products being removed from shop shelves, the cluster of hepatitis A cases related to some frozen imported berries continues to expand in the New Zealand. Early in October, Foodstuffs voluntarily recalled many frozen berry items under the Pam’s brand when Serbian fruit was found to be the source of the infections. Several frozen berry products sold under the Pams brand have been recalled.

Since June, there have been 21 hepatitis A illnesses linked to eating frozen berries. Genetic sequencing has linked 17 people, indicating they were most likely exposed to the same virus source. 9 patients have been admitted to the hospital; 3 infections were reported to the Ministry for Primary Industries in September.

Consumers have been cautioned to boil all frozen imported berries for a minute at 85 degrees before consuming them. Vincent Arbuckle, the deputy director-general for New Zealand Food Safety, cautions that some Hep A cases have protracted incubation periods.

Hepatitis A Virus:

Hepatitis A virus is rendered inactive by heating to temperatures over 85 degrees Celsius for 1 minute. The virus will not be eliminated by washing frozen fruit. The virus spreads when a person consumes it after coming into contact with an infected person, eating contaminated food, or drinking contaminated liquids. Symptoms include liver inflammation, fever, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle aches, and skin and eye whitened skin. The hepatitis A virus can cause illness two to seven weeks after infection, and symptoms typically last shorter than two months.