The hepatitis A outbreak linked to Townsend Farms berries sold at certain Costco stores has ended after sickening 162 people in 10 states. The number of illnesses reported from each state was: Arizona (23), California (79), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (1), New Mexico (11), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2).
Our attorneys are investigating lawsuits against Costco and Townsend Farms on behalf of victims of the outbreak. Some of their clients suffered liver damage and were hospitalized.
The evidence points to tainted pomegranate seeds in the frozen berry mix as the initial source of the outbreak. The implicated pomegranate seeds came from a company in Turkey, Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading.
Prompted by the outbreak, Townsend Farms issued two recalls:
- On June 4, 2013, Townsend Farms, Inc. of Fairview, Oregon voluntarily recalled certain lots of its frozen Organic Antioxidant Blend because of potential hepatitis A virus contamination.
- On June 28, 2013, Townsend Farms, Inc. of Fairview, Oregon, expanded its recall of frozen Organic Antioxidant Blend, 3 lb because of potential hepatitis A virus contamination.