Frozen Raspberries Recalled on Virus Scare

Consumers were left panicked when the government recalled all frozen raspberries and raspberry products following concerns that the recently imported berries from Chile might be contaminated with a highly contagious virus that is known to cause gastroenteritis.

This is not the first time that such an incident has happened. Back in August 2017, frozen raspberries from China were recalled when 724 Quebec residents fell ill after its consumption. A public health report further stated that several lives were also lost due to this incident.

The virus is highly contagious and thrives in frozen food products. It’s also known to cause diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain which are all symptoms of gastroenteritis. The contamination source is believed to be human feces which could have been present in the water that was used to treat the raspberries.

Contamination outbreaks like these have forced the government to take several steps to promote the consumption of locally grown food products. Hygienic and sanitary practices are being promoted in citizens to prevent such harmful outbreaks.

Experts blamed the increased dependence of imported food from areas with poor sanitation. They said that the country needs to slowly decrease its dependence on food imported from different countries and move towards locally grown produce to contain such infections.