Hepatitis A Risk: Aldi Grocery Stores and Raley’s Family of Fine Foods Recall Frozen Berries

Posted by Salvatore J. Zambri, founding member and partner.

Aldi Grocery Stores and Raley’s Family of Fine Foods recently voluntarily recalled all frozen raspberries and frozen berry mixes containing raspberries made by Wawona Frozen Foods because of a potential risk of Hepatitis A contamination.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide an overview of Hepatitis A:

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It is usually transmitted person-to-person through the fecal-oral route   or consumption of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A is a self-limited disease that does not result in chronic infection. Most adults with hepatitis A have symptoms, including fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice, that usually resolve within 2 months of infection; most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Antibodies produced in response to hepatitis A infection last for life and protect against reinfection. The best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is to get vaccinated.

According  to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announcement, the recalled frozen raspberries were imported from Chile. The excerpt from the FDA listed below details the affected products:

• Season’s Choice Raspberries (frozen): 12 ounce bags, “best by” date of June, 10, 2021, August 1,2021 and August 23, 2021. “Product of Chile.” UPC Code: 0 41498 12419 9 o Season’s Choice Berry Medley (frozen) containing raspberries: 16 ounce bags, “best by” date of July 17, 2021, July 20, 2021 and July 22, 2021. “Product of USA, Chile.” UPC Code: 0 41498 31344 9 Raley’s:

• Raley’s Fresh Frozen Red Raspberries: 12 ounce bags, “best by” date of June 5, 2021 (lot code:20156A04), August 1, 2021 (lot code: 20213A06) “Product of Chile.” UPC Code: 46567 00754.

Consumers are advised to not consume these foods and should either discard them or return for a full refund. Questions may be directed to Wawona Frozen Foods at 866-913-0667 or the website at www.wawona.com.

Tainted food can cause very serious injuries, even death. I have extensive experience assisting clients who have suffered from food poisoning in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and throughout the country. Other law firms routinely refer food poisoning cases to me.

About the author:

Mr. Zambri is a board-certified civil trial attorney by the National Board of Trial Advocates and a Past-President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. The association recently named him “Trial Lawyer of the Year”. Super Lawyers recently named him among the “Top Ten” lawyers in the Metro Area (out of more than 80,000 attorneys).