Frozen berries recalled across Australia following hepatitis A scare

An Australian company has recalled its frozen berry products following a hepatitis A outbreak linked to poor hygiene and water supplies in a Chinese packaging plant after nine people contracted the virus after eating frozen berries.

China has recalled Nanna's frozen mixed berries from Australian markets after nine people became sick with hepatitis A after eating the one-kilogram bag of imported berries.

Victorian company Patties Foods on Saturday recalled Nanna's 1 kilogram mixed frozen berries with a best before date up to Nov. 22, 2016. The recall was extended on Sunday to Creative Gourmet mixed berries in the 300 grams and 500 grams variety, with best before dates up to Dec. 10, 2017 and Oct. 6, 2017, respectively.

The frozen berries, which are sourced from Chile and then packaged in China, have been found to be the only link between the patients.

The products are sold in the two major Australian supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths, plus IGA supermarkets and some independent stores.

The symptoms include fever, nausea, yellowing skin and eyes, stomach pain and dark urine. Anyone experiencing these symptoms has been urged to see a doctor.

Martyn Kirk, an associate professor in Applied Epidemiology at the Australian National University, said there was little people could do to avoid contaminated food, according to SBS news.

"It's very difficult to avoid outbreaks by avoidance of food," he said.

"In general, our food supply is incredibly safe." But Dr Kirk said berries and other and fresh produce had increasingly become a cause of outbreaks, with the former "relatively easily contaminated" through processing.

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.