Frozen fruit sold at Costco linked to Hepatitis A outbreak

Nature's Touch 'Berry Cherry Blend' is seen in this provided photo. (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

Frozen fruit sold at Costco is being linked to a Hepatitis A outbreak in three provinces, including Quebec.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a recall of Nature’s Touch Organic Berry Cherry Blend Friday. The Public Health Agency of Canada announced Monday 13 people have contracted Hepatitis A, including three in Quebec, and some of those who are sick reported eating the frozen fruit.

The product is sold exclusively at Costco locations in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Costco Canada is offering free Hepatitis A vaccinations for anyone who has been affected by the product recall.

Caroline Quach, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Children's Hospital, said people who have been exposed to Hepatitis A should ideally get the shot within four days.

"That's when it has the best chances of preventing disease," she said. "The problem with those berries is not knowing exactly when you were exposed."

According to the public health agency, food contaminated with Hepatitis A virus may not look or smell spoiled. The frozen fruit has best before dates up to and including March 15, 2018 and the following UPC code: 8 73668 00179 1.

Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette said Costco's business model has made it easier to track down customers who may have been exposed.

"We had the chance to deal with a company that has in its data bank all the names of everybody who bought the product, and the product in Quebec was sold only through that centre." he said. "So it was easy for us to find all these citizens."

Hepatitis A can cause inflammation of the liver, and symptoms may include fever, low appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, and yellowing in the whites of the eyes and the skin (jaundice), but some don’t get sick at all. Symptoms are usually more severe in the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.

"Most of the time, mainly in young children, it's fine, but as you get older, you can have a fulminant hepatitis, which means your liver will be markedly inflamed," said Quach. "It may lead in some rare cases to liver failure, but most of the time, you have a fever, diarrhea, you're sick, you're yellow, but eventually it goes away."

The illness is usually mild and starts about 15 to 50 days after the contaminated food is eaten. The people who contracted the disease became sick in February and March.

The PHAC says those who think they may have been exposed to the virus should:

Anyone who believes they may have become sick due to the product is advised to contact their doctor. The PHAC says vaccination can prevent the onset of symptoms if given within two weeks of exposure.