If you've got a bag of frozen berries sitting in the freezer for smoothies or baking, it might be worth checking the label before you use them.
A recall has just gone out for two Alasko-brand raspberry products sold in Quebec and several other provinces, after they were linked to a norovirus outbreak. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), there have already been reported illnesses connected to the affected raspberries.
The recall covers Alasko's Whole Raspberries (frozen), sold in 1 kg bags under UPC 6 95058 00205 4, and its IQF Whole Raspberries, sold in 5 kg cases (5 x 1 kg) under UPC 1 069505 800205 1. Both share the same codes: lot SY25314, PO# 138602, and a best-before date of 2027-NO-10.
A bag of Alasko frozen raspberries. CFIAA
The products made their way to store shelves and food service providers across Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The CFIA has classified this as a Class 1 recall, its most serious category, meaning there's a reasonable chance the product could cause serious harm.
If you've got either of these in your freezer, the CFIA is telling people not to eat them, and not to sell, serve, or pass them along to anyone else either. Toss them out or bring them back to wherever you bought them.
As for what norovirus feels like: symptoms usually show up within a day or two of exposure, though they can start in as little as 12 hours. It tends to hit fast, with diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach cramps as the main symptoms, sometimes along with a low-grade fever, headache, chills, or fatigue.
Most people bounce back within a day or two without any lasting effects. But the CFIA notes that severe cases can require hospitalization for fluids, so anyone feeling seriously unwell after eating these raspberries should reach out to a healthcare provider and keep drinking fluids in the meantime.
The investigation is still ongoing, and the CFIA says it could lead to further recalls down the line.
You can explore the entire recall notice here.
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