TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Kaohsiung City Government Department of Health on Friday (May 5) announced that it will fine Taiwan Costco NT$7.5 million (US$244,000) for selling bags of mixed berries that tested positive for hepatitis A.
Kaohsiung's Department of Health issued a statement that hepatitis A was detected in Kirkland Signature "Three Berry Blend" of frozen raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries imported by Costco Taiwan. It sold over 17,000 kg of the product to consumers across the country.
After being instructed by the Food and Drug Administration to review the scale of the impact, severity, and related circumstances of the violation, the fine on Costco Taiwan was raised to NT$7.5 million in accordance with Article 15 and Artcle 44 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法). It said products that fail to meet safety standards will be confiscated and destroyed.
In addition, the health department said Costco Taiwan failed to cooperate in providing the list of receipts, which later revealed that more than 2,400 customers in Kaohsiung bought the product. Prior to assessing the additional infractions, a NT$300,000 fine had been imposed on Costco Taiwan in accordance with the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法).
In March, the U.S. reported five cases of hepatitis A, which were speculated to be related to commercially available frozen strawberries after an investigation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on March 17 that the industry had voluntarily recalled several brands of frozen organic strawberry and fruit products.
The Kaohsiung Department of Health received a notice from the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration on April 11, and immediately launched a joint inspection of Costco’s frozen mixed berries. On the same day, it ordered the company to remove the products from shelves in a preventive move, inspected and sampled five bags of similar products, and found one of the bags was positive for the hepatitis A virus.
On April 28, news broke that one of the bags of mixed berries had tested positive for hepatitis A. Costco Taiwan had sold 17,431 kg of the bags, which weigh 1.81 kg each.
On Monday (May 1), Costco Taiwan announced the Three Berry Blend packages were imported from Chile and have the expiration date of Sept. 19, 2023. It said that when it received notice that the mixed berries had failed border inspection, it immediately removed the product from warehouses and e-commerce and was issuing recall notices to members.
The retailer on Wednesday (May 3), said it stopped importing frozen berries, and it stopped selling them on April 30.
In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at a press conference said that samples from a batch of 15,236 kg blueberries made by Kirkland Signature and imported by Costco Taiwan had also tested positive for hepatitis A and barred Costco Taiwan from importing frozen berries until June 2, reported SET News.
Costco said that it will send notifications to members who purchased frozen blueberries with expiration dates of Feb. 24, 2024 and Feb. 25, 2024 to stop consuming the product and return it to the nearest Costco store.
Consumers who have questions about the tainted berries are encouraged to contact Costco Taiwan Customer Service Center at 449-9909 (direct dial for landlines, add 02 for mobile phones, service hours: Monday to Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.).
Mixed berry product that tested positive for hepatitis A. (FDA photo)
