Hepatitis A warning issued on frozen berries sold here.

Duzzie · 24-07-2013 12:28pm

thegreatiam wrote: »

seems a bit of a major risk for a minor inconvenience.
frozen fruit is known to have higher vitamins than fresh, but boiling will reduce it by around 30%. but get rid of a potentially debilitating illness.
So all you are really doing is putting your frozen fruit to the sameish levels as fresh fruit for a while. but removing the risk.

Boiling it wont eliminate all the vitamins, and some wont even be that affected. Im sure you have a balanced diet, so you probably dont even really need the vitamins.

You're taking a risk of being sick for 2 weeks to get an extra 30% of vitamin A from a handful of blueberries. what does that equate to? less than 10% of RDA?

I can think of better risks to be taking, but it's your health, you decide.

Why is the vitimin content higher in frozen? Because the vitamin decreases over time in the fresh but is preserved in the frozen?

thegreatiam · 24-07-2013 12:47pm

Duzzie wrote: »

Why is the vitimin content higher in frozen? Because the vitamin decreases over time in the fresh but is preserved in the frozen?

frozen at source or within a few hours as opposed to picked before they are ripe and transported from source to warehouse to shop eventually to consumer

tunguska · 24-07-2013 2:32pm

thegreatiam wrote: »

seems a bit of a major risk for a minor inconvenience.
frozen fruit is known to have higher vitamins than fresh, but boiling will reduce it by around 30%. but get rid of a potentially debilitating illness.
So all you are really doing is putting your frozen fruit to the sameish levels as fresh fruit for a while. but removing the risk.

Boiling it wont eliminate all the vitamins, and some wont even be that affected. Im sure you have a balanced diet, so you probably dont even really need the vitamins.

You're taking a risk of being sick for 2 weeks to get an extra 30% of vitamin A from a handful of blueberries. what does that equate to? less than 10% of RDA?

I can think of better risks to be taking, but it's your health, you decide.

You've convinced me. I'll boil the blueberries so.......

thegreatiam · 24-07-2013 2:34pm

tunguska wrote: »

You've convinced me. I'll boil the blueberries so.......

im stil in 2 minds to boil mine or throw them out.

Mason Storm · 24-07-2013 2:38pm

Boil them and refreeze them after. Taste better that way.

thegreatiam · 24-07-2013 2:59pm

Mason Storm wrote: »

Boil them and refreeze them after. Taste better that way.

taste squishier

Most of them were intended for adding to yoghurt/icecream anyway, so would most likely be fine.

El_Dangeroso · 24-07-2013 3:21pm

Mason Storm wrote: »

Boil them and refreeze them after. Taste better that way.

DON'T DO THIS!! You should never re-freeze food, that is how bacterial spores form which are very nasty bugs indeed!

thegreatiam · 24-07-2013 3:46pm

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

DON'T DO THIS!! You should never re-freeze food, that is how bacterial spores form which are very nasty bugs indeed!

only if its in certain temperature ranges for a time, above 5 degrees c. frozen to boiling to back to frozen should be fine.

fruit will also be ok because it takes longer to ferment. As long as there is no growths on it(which frozen fruit shouldn't have)

40f is 4.5c
http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/frozen_food.html

Seaneh · 24-07-2013 4:22pm

I'm really disturbed that I'm only hearing this today and the press release was almost a week ago!

We've been eating a lot of frozen berries in my house between making cocktails for garden parties, making deserts and smoothies and just munching as cold treats when we wanted something sweet. Won't be taking that rick again!

Seaneh · 24-07-2013 4:24pm

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

DON'T DO THIS!! You should never re-freeze food, that is how bacterial spores form which are very nasty bugs indeed!

Once you reach a temperature of 72c, it's fine, that will kill pretty much everything.

Most food in freezer sections of supermarket is cooked and then flash chilled.

El_Dangeroso · 24-07-2013 6:34pm

thegreatiam wrote: »

only if its in certain temperature ranges for a time, above 5 degrees c. frozen to boiling to back to frozen should be fine.

fruit will also be ok because it takes longer to ferment. As long as there is no growths on it(which frozen fruit shouldn't have)

40f is 4.5c
http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/frozen_food.html

Fermenting doesn't affect whether spores form or not. It's a small risk sure but not worth it in my opinion. Besides the texture at that stage would be very iffy.

Seaneh wrote: »

Once you reach a temperature of 72c, it's fine, that will kill pretty much everything.

Most food in freezer sections of supermarket is cooked and then flash chilled.

Cooking then freezing is fine, it's the freezing, then cooking then freezing again that might cause an issue. Bacterial spores are not destroyed by heat.

thegreatiam · 25-07-2013 10:52am

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Fermenting doesn't affect whether spores form or not. It's a small risk sure but not worth it in my opinion. Besides the texture at that stage would be very iffy.

Cooking then freezing is fine, it's the freezing, then cooking then freezing again that might cause an issue. Bacterial spores are not destroyed by heat.

Im finding no mention of this as a risk for frozen fruit.
Every where I look it states:
Keep food out of the temp range of 5c - 60c.
Bacteria grows while thawing.

So if it goes from frozen, to boiled, to frozen then its fine. as it will destroy the Hep a. No mention of bacterial spores.
the only apparent risk from defrosted fruit is if it gets above 5c and/or has mold or has began to ferment.

Can you link me something about where you are getting your info in case I have missed it?
Better safe than sorry.

El_Dangeroso · 25-07-2013 11:52am

Actually I stand corrected, fruit may well be ok:

http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/FS/consumer/thawed.html

My source was my leaving cert home economics book

that had a big scary warning about never ever re-freezing anything due to bacterial spores. Scare the crap outa me.:pac:

thegreatiam · 25-07-2013 12:02pm

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Actually I stand corrected, fruit may well be ok:

http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/FS/consumer/thawed.html

My source was my leaving cert home economics book that had a big scary warning about never ever re-freezing anything due to bacterial spores. Scare the crap outa me.:pac:

Yes, my source was similar at first. I would never refreeze anything. But Im starting to thing that is just what they say to the public to be safe.

Im learning that, given the right circumstances quite a bit of food is actually safe to refreeze.

General rules seem to be, if it defrosts in the fridge, below 5c you can refreeze.
and when in doubt, throw it out.

Always err on the side of caution, hence why ive been looking for actual evidence rather than what I thought i knew.

Mr Freeze · 26-07-2013 9:51am

Only heard this yesterday.

I buy the Tesco own brand frozen blueberries and mixed berries, and have them in a smoothie every morning, have done for months.

Says on the packet, "Produce from multiple countries of origin".

So not getting them any more.

Table Top Joe wrote: »

Im a big frozen fruit fan, cant believe even this isn't safe now! I have fruit from Boylans I bought in Tesco, an Irish company....but are they actually Irish berries or is this one of those marketing things, you know packed in Ireland or some rubbish does anyone know?, cant find out anything about them online

I bought these last night, assuming they were Irish, but ya, they could well be just packaged in Ireland. Will be dumping them when I get home.

So, should us people who have been eating these for months, should we be going to the doctor for a shot just in case?

El_Dangeroso · 26-07-2013 11:18am

Has anyone found a safe source of frozen berries? Getting withdrawal symptoms over here..

_Whimsical_ · 26-07-2013 3:49pm

Mr Freeze wrote: »

So, should us people who have been eating these for months, should we be going to the doctor for a shot just in case?

I don't think a shot would make any difference if you were already infected. It has an incubation period of up to 50 days but is most likely to start producing around 28 days after you've ingested. If you get fatigue, stomach pain, nausea and or develop jaundice then see your Dr. That's the advice the food safety authority are giving.

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Has anyone found a safe source of frozen berries? Getting withdrawal symptoms over here..

Me too! They were so convenient.
Does anyone know if these raw food powders would have any nutritional benefit ?http://www.rawliving.eu/blueberry-powder-100g.html
Or indeed if they do would they be likely to carry any spores ?

_Whimsical_ · 26-07-2013 3:53pm

I rang Boylans frozen fruits and turns out they are imported berries.

Pity:(

j@utis · 26-07-2013 3:53pm

I've seen some berries sold in local polish supermarket, never bought any though. I have no clue where those are coming from or if this warning applies to them too.

El_Dangeroso · 26-07-2013 4:31pm

j@utis wrote: »

I've seen some berries sold in local polish supermarket, never bought any though. I have no clue where those are coming from or if this warning applies to them too.

Apparently the warning does not apply to fresh.

_Whimsical_ · 26-07-2013 4:31pm

j@utis wrote: »

I've seen some berries sold in local polish supermarket, never bought any though. I have no clue where those are coming from or if this warning applies to them too.

It implies to all imported frozen berries so it probably does.Unless they are fresh, then they should be ok.

They really should just throw out stocks they have left I think.Instead we'll possibly be wondering whats safe or not for two years as they have a shelf life of 2 years.

26-07-2013 9:41pm

So if I go into the local supermarket, and pick up a punnet of blueberries, I'm good?

Stheno · 26-07-2013 10:34pm

Deleted User wrote: »

So if I go into the local supermarket, and pick up a punnet of blueberries, I'm good?

Yup

doctorwhogirl · 26-07-2013 11:22pm

I've got the withdrawal shakes.

On the plus side, I'm heading HAPES of almonds instead so my fat levels are bleedin' deadly.

Chattastrophe! · 27-07-2013 10:02am

I'm a bit worried as I've been having smoothies made with frozen strawberries a few times a week the past couple of months. I'm pregnant, and I'm getting loads of nausea and fatigue even though all that should really have stopped by now.

I'll mention it to my doctor during the week to be on the safe side. Does anyone know if it's quite easy to test for this?

scotchy · 27-07-2013 10:18am

Was in Tesco's yesterday. They are still selling imported frozen berries.
No warnings.
No Advice.
No information on Hepatitis danger.

.

El_Dangeroso · 27-07-2013 12:21pm

Tlachtga wrote: »

I'm a bit worried as I've been having smoothies made with frozen strawberries a few times a week the past couple of months. I'm pregnant, and I'm getting loads of nausea and fatigue even though all that should really have stopped by now.

I'll mention it to my doctor during the week to be on the safe side. Does anyone know if it's quite easy to test for this?

Yes, it's easy to test for, go to the doctor.

28-07-2013 1:50am

This may be a stupid question, but why would frozen berries be affected, but not fresh ones?

swansea · 28-07-2013 10:35am

Boylan's are based over here and Tesco sell their frozen fruits. Safe to eat?

Chattastrophe! · 28-07-2013 11:35am

Deleted User wrote: »

This may be a stupid question, but why would frozen berries be affected, but not fresh ones?

I think it's just that they've identified a common link between the patients diagnosed so far - i.e. that they'd been eating frozen berries in the weeks before they fell ill.

From what I've read, they've yet to track it down to an individual brand/batch of frozen berries so far.

It's obviously not all frozen berries that are contaminated - just certain batches - but they don't know which ones yet. People are being advised to boil all frozen berries before eating as a precaution.

I can't understand why this isn't being advertised more, to avoid further cases. Anyone I've mentioned it to hadn't even heard of the problem.

Hepatitis A warning issued on frozen berries sold here.

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