Melbourne-based food manufacturer and distributor Patties Foods has issued a total product recall of its frozen mixed berries after five cases of hepatitis A were linked to the products last week.
Health officials have confirmed three cases of hepatitis A linked to the frozen berries in Victoria and two in New South Wales. The berries were sourced from China and Chile and were distributed by Patties Food. While the company maintains that “quality control testing to date had not revealed any concerns with the food safety of either product, further detailed testing is being done and the recall is an important step to ensure public safety and confidence”.
This food safety disaster should serve as a remind for all food and beverage organisations, demonstrating that irreparable damage can be done to a brands reputation as a result of one unforeseeable incident. For the full article and three lessons in crisis management, click here.