MOSCOW, September 9 (RIA Novosti) – Hepatitis A (HAV) contaminated food could still be circulating in the food chain following an outbreak of the virus early in 2013, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) warned Tuesday.
“It is possible that contaminated product related to this outbreak could still be circulating in the food chain”, the official report published in the EFSA’s website reads. “Hence, for the public health domain, enhanced surveillance, risk communication, vaccination and further research are recommended.”
EFSA suggests that “HAV contamination could be occurring at the freezing processor or in primary production of berries”.
According to EFSA, the contamination was discovered in samples of frozen mixed berries (14 lots) and in mixed berry cakes/pastries (2 lots) in Italy, France and Norway last year after Germany first reported cases of IA infection, a genotype of HAV, in people who had travelled in May 2013.
The reported cases from Germany were followed by a further outbreak in Italy. Later, HAV was observed in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The authority recommends that countries that produce berries for freezing comply with Good Hygiene Practice, Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Agricultural Practice.
It is reported by EFSA that since January 1, 2013, the outbreak of the contaminations has seen 1,444 cases reported by 12 EU and EEA (European Economic Area) countries. Of these, it says, 331 were confirmed cases.
