Frozen Berries Sold at Costco, HEB, and Walmart Recalled Due to the Risk of Hepatitis A

The recall is related to an ongoing outbreak of the virus

By Lisa L. Gill
Investigative Reporter

June 15, 2023

Willamette Valley Fruit Co. Recalls Great Value Sliced Strawberries, Great Value Mixed Fruit Great Value Antioxidant Blend, Rader Farms Organic Fresh Start Smoothie Blend, and Rader Farms Organic Berry Trio Because of Possible Health Risk

Willamette Valley Fruit Company announced that it has recalled various sizes and packages of frozen mixed fruit, frozen strawberries, and smoothie blends due to possible contamination with hepatitis A. The virus can cause serious liver disease and possibly lead to liver failure. In addition to being spread through contaminated food, it can also be transferred from person to person.

This recall is related to an ongoing outbreak of hepatitis A linked to frozen strawberries from farms in Baja, Mexico, which has sickened nine people. However, no illnesses to date have been specifically linked to these products. The Food and Drug Administration’s investigation is continuing.

The company noted the following recalled products, and where they were sold.

Costco

Products: Rader Farms Organic Fresh Start Smoothie Blend
Package size: 48-ounce bags containing six 8-ounce pouches
Sold in: Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas

HEB

Product: Rader Farms Organic Berry Trio
Package size: 3 pounds
Sold in: Texas

Walmart

Products: Great Value Sliced Strawberries, Great Value Mixed Fruit, and Great Value Antioxidant Fruit Blend
Package sizes: 4 pounds (strawberries and mixed fruit), 40 ounces (antioxidant blend)
Sold in: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

Symptoms of Hepatitis A

Symptoms can include abdominal pain, fatigue, yellow skin or eyes, joint pain, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dark urine, and pale stool. These can appear up to seven weeks after eating contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For kids younger than 6, there may be no apparent symptoms.

The illness can last for several weeks, and most otherwise healthy people recover on their own without lasting liver damage. Older people who contract hepatitis A, and those with other serious health conditions, are at higher risk for liver failure and even death.

Lisa L. Gill

Lisa L. Gill is an award-winning investigative reporter. She has been at Consumer Reports since 2008, covering health and food safety—heavy metals in the food supply and foodborne illness—plus healthcare and prescription drug costs, medical debt, and credit scores. Lisa also testified before Congress and the Food and Drug Administration about her work on drug costs and drug safety. She lives in a DIY tiny home, where she gardens during the day and stargazes the Milky Way at night.