Voluntary Recall of Frozen Strawberries

Media Contacts:	Dayne Myers
		(813) 728-4261
		John Segale
		(916) 441-7606

Watsonville, CA - April 28, 2000 - New West Foods in conjunction with the Food and Drug Administration, has initiated a limited voluntary recall of certain frozen strawberry products.

The strawberry products include only a small quantity of frozen sliced strawberries labeled with codes NW063094 or NW060991. Products bearing any other codes are not subject to the recall. The codes can be found on the front or back of the product label or on the lid. The products in question were sold under the brands: "Richfood", "Great Value", "Safeway" and "Kroger". They are only packed in 10-ounce and 16-ounce containers.

The recall is in response to an early-February outbreak of hepatitis A among seven laboratory workers at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. FDA has been looking into all potential scenarios including an ice cream social held at the hospital in which frozen strawberries were served as one of the toppings to approximately 300 people, including the seven infected hospital workers. According to FDA, other than the one isolated incident involving the seven hospital workers, there is no evidence of any other illness in the Boston area or anywhere else in the country. The vast majority of patients with hepatitis A infections recover with no long-term effects. It can cause nausea, fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and jaundice.

Consumers possessing strawberries packed under these two codes should not consume them and return the product to the place of purchase for a refund or replacement.

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