PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) advises Rhode Islanders that they should not consume certain products manufactured by Scenic Fruit Company of Gresham, Oregon. The company announced today that it is voluntarily recalling 5,091 cases (61,092 eight-ounce bags) of Woodstock Frozen Organic Pomegranate Kernels, after it was determined that the product has the potential to be contaminated with Hepatitis A virus.
Products were shipped from February 2013 through May 2013 to UNFI distribution centers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington State. The product was sold in Rhode Island at Eastside Marketplace in Providence and The Green Grocer in Portsmouth.
Woodstock Organic Pomegranate Kernels are sold in eight-ounce (227 gram) re-sealable plastic pouches with UPC Code 0 42563 01628 9. Specific coding information to identify the product can be found on the back portion of these pouches below the zip-lock seal. The following lots are subject to this recall:
• C 0129 (A,B, or C) 035 with a best by date of 02/04/2015 • C 0388 (A,B, or C) 087 with a best by date of 03/28/2015 • C 0490 (A,B, or C) 109 with a best by date of 04/19/2015
A photo of the product can be seen here: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm358741.htm
Consumers should not eat this product. The product should be disposed of immediately.
Rhode Island is cooperating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)s ongoing investigation. No illnesses are currently associated with this product.
Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from exposure to the Hepatitis A virus, including from food. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months. Illness generally occurs within 15 to 50 days of exposure and includes fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, abnormal liver tests, dark urine and pale stool. In rare cases, particularly in those with a pre-existing severe illness or those who are immune-compromised, Hepatitis A infection can progress to liver failure.
Individuals experiencing symptoms of Hepatitis A should contact their physician.
For more information, contact the Scenic Fruit Company at 877-927-3434 or email to info@scenicfruit.com. The full FDA press release can be found here: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm358740.htm
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