Batch of frozen berries sold in South Island linked to Hepatitis A

Anyone who purchased Pams mixed frozen berries from some South Island stores on Saturday is being warned not to eat them, as the batch has been linked with Hepatitis A.

Pams – a New Zealand division of supermarket giant Foodstuffs – is recalling Pams frozen Mixed Berries from four stores in the South Island due to possible risk of hepatitis A associated with berries sourced from Serbia.

Foodstuffs South Island Hornby Distribution Centre released 478 bags of the berries in error following the previous recall in October, New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said.

Most of the bags were identifed and removed, however six bags have already been sold and another four are unaccounted for.

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The best before date on the mixed berries was 14/08/2024 and the product was only available for sale on January 14.

Arbuckle urged anyone who bought frozen berries from New World Ashburton and Wanaka and Pak’nSave in Hornby and Christchurch to check their freezers.

“Consumers, especially those with chronic liver damage, the elderly and pregnant people, should not eat frozen berries raw. Bringing them to the boil will make them safe to eat, or they can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.”

If you have consumed any of this product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

The recall affects:

• Pams brand Mixed Berries (500g) with a Best Before of 14/08/2024

The product was potentially available in the following South Island stores:

• Ashburton New World
• Hornby Pak’nSave
• Three Parks New World, Wanaka
• Wainoni Pak’nSave, Christchurch

There have been 35 total cases of hepatitis A since the outbreak began in September.

Advice for consumers:

• Briefly boil frozen berries before eating them, or if you have a thermometer at home, ensure cooking temperatures exceed 85 degrees Celsius for 1 minute. Heated berries can be safely refrozen for later use.
• If you microwave berries, you should stir at half-way through the cooking process to make sure they are cooked through. Microwave settings will vary, the important thing is to ensure the berries reach boiling.
• Wash your hands before eating and preparing food.