Hepatitis Outbreak Traced To Pomegranates

A continuous outbreak of hepatitis A in the United States was traced to a shipment of pomegranate seeds from Turkey, according to NPR.

So far, the disease has spread to 136 people. In an effort to contain the virus, the Food and Drug Administration ordered that all shipments from the company that shipped the fruit — Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading — be held at American trading ports.

Hepatits A is a disease that causes inflammation of the liver and is spread through food and drink consumption.

Those who are infected in the outbreak bought an organic frozen berry mix at Costco consisting of berries and pomegranate seed kernels from the U.S., Argentina, Chile, and Turkey. The U.S. imports 50 percent of its fresh fruit, 20 percent of its fresh vegetables, and 80 percent of its seafood from other countries.