By Ethan Covey
The FDA has detailed a new strategy aimed at reducing the risk for contamination of fresh and frozen berries with enteric viruses.
Enteric viruses, including hepatitis A virus (HAV) and norovirus, have caused outbreaks of illness in both the United States and abroad that have been linked to fresh and frozen berries. While the most recent outbreak linked to berries grown in the United States occurred in 1990, outbreaks tied to imported berries are still being reported.
The strategy was designed to address multiple issues that may contribute to contamination, and was developed in cooperation with many stakeholders.
“Collaboration between regulators, the global berry industry and other interest holders has been critical for the development of this strategy,” said Conrad Choiniere, PhD, the director of the Office of Microbiological Food Safety, FDA Human Food Program, before the president paused communication from federal offices. “We look forward to ongoing collaboration to ensure the success of this strategy, and others, for the prevention of foodborne illness.”
A surveillance sampling project, which was conducted from fiscal year 2019 through 2023, identified HAV in eight of 1,558 samples of frozen strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, and norovirus in 10 samples (https://www.fda.gov/media/185087/download?attachment). While the prevalence of the viruses was less than 1% for each of the three berry types, experts noted that the results supported the need for monitoring and effective control strategies.
Among other guidance, the strategy aims to promote high rates of compliance with FDA food safety requirements, ensure adequate pre- and post-harvest sanitary practices, promote clinical study on enteric viruses in berries, and incentivize the use of public health prevention measures in order to protect the health of workers.
The sources reported no relevant financial disclosures.
