PSA: Boil your frozen berries

While smoothies all the rage amongst wellness enthusiasts, please remember to boil your berries before popping them in the blender. Although we’d prefer the icy texture of frozen berries in smoothies and milkshakes, it’s actually really not advisable to use frozen berries without boiling them first. What the heck?! This is because, all the way back in 2013, three people in Sweden died as a result of a norovirus outbreak linked to imported frozen strawberries. 

Between 1997 and 2016, the FDA reported three hepatitis A virus outbreaks and one norovirus outbreak linked to frozen berries in the U.S. And in November 2018 the FDA managed to get around to investigating frozen berry samples in the U.S. Gathering from the following update released by the FDA on September 26th, 2019, the boil notice is definitely on. “As of June 30, 2019, the FDA has tested 253 domestic samples and 320 import samples of frozen berries. Of the frozen berries sampled, the FDA found genetic material from hepatitis A virus in three samples and genetic material from norovirus in seven samples.” They plan to test a total of 2,000 samples from processors, distribution centers, warehouses, and retail locations domestically, as well as import samples from ports of entry, importer warehouses and other storage facilities where foreign goods are cleared for entry into the country, before the investigation is complete.

How are the berries getting contaminated with these viruses? Bacteria and viruses can be transferred when handled by an infected farm or factory worker, or if exposed to contaminated agricultural water (read: poop water. Thanks, Big Agra!) or a contaminated surface, like a basket. Although flash freezing is nutritionally a wonderful way to preserve nutrients from peak freshness, it will also preserve the viruses which can survive in low temperatures. Also you might just get a batch of berries that, while it doesn’t contain super scary viruses like these, might just have a basic “upset stomach bug”- not a technical term.

There you have it, a PSA to boil both imported AND domestic frozen berries if you want to be extra safe.