FDA: Egyptian Frozen Strawberries Banned

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

As part of the ongoing investigation of frozen strawberries from Egypt, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now issued Import Alert 99-35 for frozen strawberries from the International Company for Agricultural Production and Processing (ICAPP) the Egyptian firm responsible for production and distribution of frozen fruits and vegetables.

As a result of the Import Alert, frozen strawberries from ICAPP are being detained at the border and will not be allowed to be distributed in the United States. Although neither the FDA spokesman nor the CDC spokeswoman would comment on the connection to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurant’s Hepatitis A, citing confidentiality regulations for an ongoing investigation, a previous traceback indicated that the frozen strawberries used by Tropical Smoothie Cafe did originate in Egypt.

I have been blogging about the Hepatitis A outbreak from the Tropical Smoothie Cafe since its initial discovery in August. As of October 20, 2016, according to the CDC’s most recent outbreak report, 134 cases of Hepatitis A have been associated with frozen strawberries from Egypt. My firm has filed class-action lawsuits and complaints on behalf of injured people related to this outbreak. If you have questions about this litigation, please contact me.

Do you have any questions about this post? If so, please email Mr. Zambri: [email protected].

About the author:

Mr. Zambri is the author of a widely renowned book on product liability litigation. An experienced speaker, he often shares his knowledge regarding personal injury litigation at seminars. In recognition of his many successes, Mr. Zambri has been consistently included in the Super Lawyers® list and has been named among “The Best Lawyers in America” by Best Lawyers (2016 edition).

Mr. Zambri has been successful in litigating food poisoning cases. He is knowledgeable and experienced in handling the unique complexities involved in food poisoning litigation.