Food Warning: Frozen strawberries can be infected with hepatitis A.



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Be careful when dealing with frozen fruits: the hepatitis A virus has been detected in frozen strawberries imported from Poland. This could include fruit salads, fruit desserts and ice cream.

As reported by the "Kronen Zeitung", cases of hepatitis A disease are recurrent in Sweden and Austria in recent years. Laboratory tests have identified the possible cause: researchers have discovered the pathogenic virus in frozen strawberries from Poland.

Infected products were exported via an Austrian wholesaler to 13 other distributors in various European countries. Germany is not in fact part of it.

Attention when buying frozen strawberries

Infected strawberries were delivered to countries such as Sweden, Slovakia and an ice cream producer in Italy.

Austria was the most affected country, with 90 restaurants and cafes served, including six badociated with hepatitis A. Frozen strawberries also arrived in two hospital kitchens.

With regard to infected fruit, 14 cases of illness were recorded in Austria during the summer of this year, reports the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES).

The wholesaler must act

The wholesaler in Austria, through which the contaminated product was distributed, is now trying to minimize the risk of infection in future deliveries,

He asked for proof that the goods are free of hepatitis A pathogens for later delivery to Poland by the end of 2018.

Wholesalers' customers were also asked to heat strawberries before consumption to kill germs.

What is hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is an infectious viral infection of the liver. Hepatitis A is not the object of a chronic disease. In most cases, the disease cures itself without major complications.

The transmission of the pathogen is usually done by water, to which the viruses have been transferred in contact with the contaminated food.

Possible symptoms of the disease include stomach and bowel problems, increased body temperature, itching and dermatitis.

With a vaccine, you can protect yourself from the disease.

Judith Kerstgens

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