Firm Ordered to Rid Schools of Suspect Berries
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A federal judge Thursday ordered a San Diego company to remove from schools an estimated 650,000 pounds of strawberries that caused an outbreak of hepatitis A among Michigan schoolchildren.
Andrew & Williamson Sales Co. must retrieve the frozen berries, stored at schools in 16 states and the District of Columbia, within 60 days, U.S. District Judge Leland Nielsen said.
Morgan Scudie, a lawyer for the company, said it “is ready to initiate a recall as soon as the [U.S. Department of Agriculture] and the schools provide us with the information about where the product is stored.”
In March, more than 260 children and teachers developed hepatitis A after eating frozen strawberries in the Michigan schools.
The berries were traced to Andrew & Williamson, which processed and supplied berries imported from Mexico to the federal school lunch program in violation of federal law, which requires produce to be grown domestically.
Andrew & Williamson and former leader Frederick L. Williamson have been indicted for allegedly lying about the source of the fruit.
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