The CDC reports as of July 1, 2013, 132 people have been confirmed to have become ill from hepatitis A after eating ‘Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend’ in 8 states: Arizona (19), California (67), Colorado (25), Hawaii (7), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), Utah (2), and Wisconsin (2). 59 (45%) ill people (all over 18 years of age) have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
By combining information gained from FDA’s traceback and traceforward investigations and the CDC’s epidemiological investigation, FDA and CDC have determined that the most likely vehicle for the hepatitis A virus appears to be a common shipment of pomegranate seeds from a company in Turkey, Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading. The pomegranate seeds were purchased from Goknur by Purely Pomegranate, Inc., in Dana Point, California, which resold them to Townsend Farms and Scenic Fruit Co., in Gresham, Oregon.