NOS News•today, 1:36 PM•Amended today, 2:23 PM
Twelve people have become infected with hepatitis A after eating frozen blueberries from Albert Heijn, the RIVM reports. Of those twelve, the infection was so serious in two cases that hospitalization was required. The institute takes hundreds of infections into account.
Hepatitis A is an infectious disease that is mandatory to report. The GGD reports that the first patient arrived at the end of November, after which cases increased. The bags were still being sold until yesterday. The RIVM has started an investigation in which the blueberries came to the fore. The contamination with hepatitis A was discovered after a sample collection by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
All twelve patients are between 25 and 77 years old. “These are only serious cases in which patients sought medical help,” says a RIVM spokesperson.
In general, the disease has a mild course, which is why the institute suspects multiple infections. The disease can lead to liver inflammation in adults. According to the spokesperson, people with reduced resistance are mainly at risk of serious infection.
According to the RIVM, an outbreak on this scale is not entirely unique, but occurs on average once a year.
Recall
Yesterday it was announced that Albert Heijn had issued a safety warning for its own brand frozen kilo bags of blueberries due to contamination with hepatitis A. The supermarket is recalling the products.
These are kilo bags with a best before date of April 14, 2026, but as a precaution Albert Heijn has removed all kilo bags from the shelves. The company advises consumers not to eat the berries. Customers can return the bags to the store and receive a refund.
Customers who experience symptoms are advised to consult their doctor.
Poor hygiene
The contaminated blueberries come from a manufacturer in Poland, says Albert Heijn. According to the RIVM, the outbreak was probably caused by poor hygiene in the packaging process.
Hepatitis A is a disease that only affects humans. According to the RIVM, the infection only spreads from person to person, via feces. “The virus could have been spread by contaminated irrigation water, but it is more likely that a berry picker did not wash his hands properly after visiting the toilet,” the RIVM spokesperson said. Otherwise, he said, the outbreak would have been bigger.
According to AH, this only concerns the frozen kilo bags; the paper boxes of frozen blueberries and the bags of mixed red fruit are not at risk because they come from a different supplier.
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