An organic tea is being recalled in several U.S. states over the possibility it contains organic strawberries potentially contaminated with Hepatitis A.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the voluntary recall of Organic Revitalizing Tea Tonic Strawberry Hibiscus Rose on Sunday.
Urban Remedy contracts Youngstown Grape Distributors Inc. to co-manufacture the tea, which “may contain fresh organic strawberries linked to the FDA outbreak investigation of FreshKampo organic strawberries,” according to the FDA.
“At Urban Remedy, food safety is our company’s top priority,” CEO Paul Coletta said.
The company asks those who purchased product with the affected lot number (LOT 1232 BEST BY 7/17/2022) to dispose of the item or return it to place of purchase for full credit.
“Persons who may have purchased the affected product do not consume, if consumed consult your health care provider or local health department to determine if a vaccination is appropriate and consumers with symptoms of Hepatitis A should contact their health providers or the local health department immediately,” the FDA said in a release.
No illnesses linked to the Urban Remedy product have been reported to date. Illness usually occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating or drinking contaminated food or water.
Hepatitis A is a contagious virus than can cause liver disease, which can lead to liver failure in severe cases.
Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine or pale stool. Cases can be asymptomatic in children under six.
Anyone who purchased fresh strawberries between those dates and then froze them to be consumed later are being advised to dispose of them.
These strawberries were sold at HEB, Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Weis Markets, and WinCo Foods.
Cases are also being investigated in Canada.
