Organic Strawberries Are Being Recalled Due to Potential Link to Hepatitis A Outbreak

Rochelle Bilow
Rochelle Bilow
Rochelle Bilow is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, and the former social media manager at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines. She has also worked as a cook on a small farm in Central New York and a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City. Her first book, a…read more
published Jun 1, 2022
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Strawberries
Credit: Linda Xiao
Strawberries

Food recalls happen every day. The latest item to be recalled, however, is a blow to strawberry shortcake lovers: Certain organic strawberries have been recalled by the FDA, due to a potential link to a Hepatitis A outbreak.

Did you buy contaminated strawberries? The brands affected by the recall are HEB and FreshKampo, which are sold in a variety of grocery retailers, including Aldi, Kroger, Sprouts, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart

The recall only affects organic strawberries from the aforementioned brands, which were purchased between March 5 and April 25. By now, any strawberries purchased within that window have passed their shelf life. However, if you froze your berries or used them to make preserves, you should throw them out as soon as possible. Not sure whether the berries in your freezer are FreshKampo or HEB? Can’t remember when you purchased them? To be on the safe side, the FDA recommends discarding them anyway.  

If you consumed organic strawberries from either brand and are not vaccinated against Hepatitis A, the FDA recommends contacting your doctor for post-exposure prophylaxis. You do not need PEP if you have received the Hep A vaccination. Additionally, you should see your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any symptoms of Hepatitis A. Those include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, and abdominal discomfort. 

Although grocery stores often fall short on telling customers about contaminated items, like lettuce infected with E. coli, the FDA updates its database almost daily. And while it’s impossible to completely eradicate the potential for illness from food-borne pathogens, you can minimize your risk. It’s a good idea to routinely check that database, and to follow food safety protocol when preparing any produce

What are your best practices for food safety?