Food safety authority advises boiling frozen berries

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has renewed advice to consumers to boil all imported frozen berries for at least one minute before eating them, following fears of hepatitis A contamination.

An investigation is currently underway to establish whether Irish cases of hepatitis A this month are linked to contaminated frozen berries. The FSAI stated that it is reissuing its advice following a food poisoning outbreak of hepatitis A virus last year in Ireland, which was linked to imported frozen berries. A recent report concluded that contaminated frozen berries could still be circulating in the food chain.

Food businesses using frozen berries in cooked and ready-to-eat dishes are urged to ensure that the berries they use are sourced from reputable suppliers. 

Common symptoms of hepatitis A include: fever, loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Symptoms can be relatively mild, lasting one or two weeks, or more severe, lasting several months.

Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive of the FSAI stated: “As contaminated imported frozen berries could still be circulating in the food chain, we continue to recommend the boiling of imported frozen berries for at least one minute before eating them. This is a precautionary measure and will destroy the virus if it is present. There is no evidence that fresh Irish berries were the cause of the outbreak. However, we suggest that - as with all other fruit and vegetables - fresh berries should be washed thoroughly if they are being eaten uncooked.”