Costco recalls line of Kirkland frozen berries over possible hepatitis A contamination
Costco recalled some of its frozen berries because of a possible hepatitis A contamination.
The recall affects 4-pound bags of the company’s Kirkland Signature brand Three Berry Blend, which is manufactured by Townsend Farms, Inc., according to a retailer announcement posted on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website on Tuesday.
“A recent FDA test indicated that a domestic conventional frozen blackberry product manufactured by Townsend Farms, Inc., may be contaminated with Hepatitis A,” the statement said.
The recalled products, which were sold by Costco in stores located in San Diego, Los Angeles and Hawaii, have best by dates between Feb. 16, 2020 and May 4, 2020.
“No product manufactured for Costco by Townsend Farms has tested positive for hepatitis A. Costco has no product in its current inventory. Costco has been notifying its members about the potential health risk,” the announcement said.
Costco is recalling its frozen Kirkland brand Three Berry Blend over a possible hepatitis A contamination of frozen blackberry product manufactured by Townsend Farms, Inc. (FDA)
The FDA and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have received no reports of illness in relation to the products being recalled, the notice said.
The announcement recommends customers who have purchased the recalled product to photograph the bag and contact Costco for a full refund. Customers are advised not to consume the berries.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP. | 971.88 | +10.33 | +1.07% |
Hepatitis A is a “highly contagious” liver infection is caused by a virus, according to the CDC. The virus typically spreads when a person eats or drinks something “contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person,” the health agency said.
Those who contract hepatitis A — not to be confused with hepatitis B or C, which are caused by different viruses — may be sick for “several weeks" and usually fully recover, according to the CDC. It is rare to die from the illness, though hepatitis A can cause liver failure and death, typically in persons who are 50 years of age or older.
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Symptoms include fever, fatigue, dark urine, vomiting, joint pain and jaundice.
While hepatitis A infections do occur in the U.S., infections are more common in developing countries where sanitation and hygiene are poor, the CDC says, which also noted the disease is preventable with a vaccine.
On Friday, Target announced a similar recall of frozen berries from the same manufacturer.
Fox News’ Madeline Farber contributed to this report.