POOR hygiene in a Chinese factory likely led to the contamination of frozen berries linked to hepatitis A, an expert says.
EIGHT people, three in Victoria, three in Queensland and two in NSW, have been diagnosed with the potentially deadly virus after consuming imported produce from 1kg packs of Nanna’s Frozen Mixed Berries.
University of Melbourne food microbiology expert Dr Said Ajlouni says the product, which is packed and sealed in China, was probably contaminated as a result of poor hygiene and sanitation conditions. “If there is a sick employee in the company who went to the toilet, came back without appropriate washing of hands, he could have transferred the virus easily to the produce,” he told AAP on Monday. “One single employee could cause the problem, because these viruses can be spread very easily.” Dr Ajlouni said it was possible, but less likely, that water or soil caused the contamination because viruses lay dormant until they reach a human or animal. The suspect frozen berry product contains strawberries, raspberries and blackberries from China and blueberries from Chile. Victorian health department senior medical advisor Dr Finn Romanes has also said contamination would have occurred overseas before importation. Patties Foods, the Victoria-based distributor of the product, issued a nationwide consumer recall on Saturday and on Sunday, also recalling 300g and 500g packs of Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries as a precaution. Hepatitis A is spread when traces of faecal matter containing the virus come in contact with hands, water or food and then enter a person’s mouth.