Hepatitis A risk forces supermarkets to recall Pams frozen berries

A batch of Pams brand frozen berries has been recalled due to a hepatitis A risk. Photo / Supplied

Due to a potential hepatitis A risk linked to frozen berries from Serbia, a batch of Pams frozen mixed berries has been recalled.

The 500g packs, with a best-before date of August 14, 2024, were only accessible yesterday at four South Island supermarkets.

Those stores were: Ashburton New World, Hornby Pak’nSave, Three Parks New World, Wanaka, and Wainoni Pak’nSave, Christchurch.

“Foodstuffs South Island Hornby Distribution Centre, in error, released 478 bags of Pams Mixed Berries following the previous recall on 4 October 2022,” said New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.

“Foodstuffs South Island has identified and removed most of those bags before consumers were able to buy them.”

Arbuckle said, however, that six bags are unaccounted for, so they are urging customers who may have shopped in the affected supermarkets and purchased the berries 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 this product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.