The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has reissued a warning about consumption of imported frozen berries after a contaminated batch of raspberries caused a outbreak in Sweden.
Dr Lisa O’Connor, the organisation’s chief specialist in food science, has encouraged people to boil imported frozen berries for one minute prior to consumption to eliminate the risk of contracting viruses such as hepatitis A and norovirus.
The advice comes after Swedish authorities reported an outbreak of norovirus at a nursing home at the beginning of May.
Three deaths are reported to have been potentially linked to the outbreak of the bug.
About 70 people fell ill after frozen raspberries from a supplier in Serbia were served uncooked in a dessert.
A similar berry-related outbreak also occurred in Australia in February and March.
This is the third time the same warning has been reiterated within the last three years after 1,000 people across Europe fell ill in 2013 having ingested contaminated berries.
The exact source of the problem was never confirmed.
Concerns were prompted here when five Irish people contracted hepatitis A- a food-borne illness, which inflames the liver and causes high temperature and nausea after eating imported frozen berries that year.
Food safety bodies have advised particular caution for elderly people, who are most at risk.
“Frozen imported berries are widely used in the food industry and distributed into the food service sector for use in cooked and ready-to-eat dishes,” Dr O’Connor said.
“There remains an ongoing risk in the global imported frozen berry supply chain. Food businesses using or selling imported frozen berries need to ensure that the berries they use are sourced from reputable suppliers operating effective food safety management systems.
“Food operators should assess the risk in their own business and consider the need to include boiling of imported frozen berries in their food safety management system.”