No bags of frozen berries tested positive for hepatitis A last week, but as demand for hepatitis A vaccines has increased, 2,000 doses would be imported and should arrive next month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday.
As bags of imported frozen mixed berries, blueberries and strawberries sold at Costco tested positive for hepatitis A starting last month, the FDA has suspended imports of all types of frozen berries sold by Costco.
The agency said that it is continuing to test samples of imported frozen berries.
Photo: CNA
FDA Southern Center Director Wei Jen-ting (魏任廷) said that as of Tuesday, Costco’s Taiwan branches had recalled 56,065.97kg of frozen berries: 25,750.19kg of Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend, 2,751.97kg of Kirkland Signature Grade A Fancy Strawberries and 27,563.81kg of Kirkland Signature Whole Blueberries.
Since expanded sampling of 77 imported berry products started on May 1, one item (Kirkland Signature Grade A Fancy Strawberries imported from Mexico) tested positive for hepatitis A, 62 items tested negative and 14 items are still being tested, FDA Deputy Director Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said.
No new bags of frozen berries tested positive for the virus from Wednesday last week to Tuesday, he said.
The FDA had asked Costco to provide a report on the source of contamination and its improvement plan for ensuring food safety before the end of this month.
Costco has not yet submitted the report, Lin said.
Meanwhile, demand for self-paid hepatitis A vaccines has increased since the first case of contaminated berries was reported on April 29, FDA Deputy Director Cheng Hwei-fang (陳惠芳) said.
The average monthly demand for self-paid hepatitis A vaccines was previously about 1,000 doses, but it increased to about 2,430 doses after April 29, so although there are still 3,418 doses in stock, the FDA is planning to import 2,000 doses, she said, adding that they are expected to arrive next month.
Separately, Costco on May 11 said that people who have purchased the recalled frozen berry products would be offered compensation equal to the price of the product they bought, as well as NT$500 for a hepatitis A antibody test.
However, some people reported that they were asked to sign a settlement agreement when they went to collect their compensation.
They said they were concerned that they might give up their right to claim further compensation if they contract hepatitis A,
Kaohsiung City Government Consumer Protection Officer Yin Mao-chien (殷茂乾) yesterday said that the Consumer Protection Office has asked Costco to explain the situation tomorrow morning.
Additional reporting by CNA
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