With the number of confirmed cases of hepatitis A linked to contaminated berries currently standing at 12 – five in Queensland, four in New South Wales three in Victoria – the Australian Red Cross Blood Service have put out a call to their donors, asking anyone who have have eaten the affected berries to come forward.
Over the past few days, the Red Cross have reportedly received phone calls from hundreds of concerned donors. They have since asked anyone who consumed the Nanna’s Mixed Berries 1kg product – linked to all confirmed cases – and donated blood after November 1 last year to contact them.
Per reports in Fairfax, the Red Cross say that they want donors who have consumed that specific product to contact them right now, as they need to identify the most at-risk blood donations in their system.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon has called for a review of Australia’s imported food safety standards in the wake of the outbreak, saying that it highlights “systemic failures” in the ways that certain foods are screened.
“The Government does not test for bacterial infections of foods as part of its spot-checks of 5 per cent of low risk food imports,” adding that issuing permits to export to Australia, requiring health checks to be carried out “in advance”, is a possible solution.
In related news, there is probably going to be a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig bloody class action lawsuit before all this is said and done.
Berries currently affected by the recall are:
— Nanna’s Raspberries 1kg, up to and including best before date 15/09/16
— Nanna’s Mixed Berries 1kg, up to and including best before date 22/11/16
— Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries 300g, up to and including best before bate 10/12/17
— Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries 500g, up to and including best before date 06/10/17
— Nanna’s Mixed Berries 1kg, up to and including best before date 22/11/16
— Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries 300g, up to and including best before bate 10/12/17
— Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries 500g, up to and including best before date 06/10/17
Concerned consumers are advised to call Patties Foods on 1800 650 069.
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service can be contacted on 13 14 95.
Photo: Frederic J Brown via Getty Images
