The FDA has introduced a comprehensive strategy to prevent norovirus and hepatitis A outbreaks linked to fresh and frozen berries. These outbreaks have been traced back to imported berries, which can carry harmful enteric viruses like hepatitis A (HAV) and norovirus (NoV). The U.S. has not reported local HAV or NoV outbreaks since 1997, but cases linked to imported berries have increased significantly in recent years.
The FDA’s strategy focuses on addressing key areas:
– **Promoting Compliance With FDA Requirements**: Ensuring berry operations meet rigorous food safety standards to prevent virus contamination.
– **Encouraging Berry Industry Practices**: Promoting effective hygiene and sanitation processes at harvest, processing, and packaging stages.
– **Improving Scientific Knowledge**: Fostering research on virus persistence in berries, processing environments, and agricultural water sources.
– **Incentivizing Public Health Measures**: Encouraging vaccination programs to protect berry workers from potential risks of infection.
– **Fostering Collaboration**: Working with industry partners, governments, and international organizations to share best practices and advance food safety initiatives.
Conrad Choiniere, director of the FDA’s Office of Microbiological Food Safety, emphasized the importance of collaboration in reducing future outbreaks. The strategy aims to minimize risks from imported berries while protecting public health.
Source: https://www.fda.gov/food/new-era-smarter-food-safety/summary-fdas-strategy-prevent-human-norovirus-and-hepatitis-outbreaks-associated-fresh-and-frozen