A small quantity of fresh fruit sold in late February and early March could have been contaminated with hepatitis A, the Ministry for Primary Industries says.
It says a person packing some varieties of apples and peaches in a Hawke's Bay packhouse has been diagnosed with the virus, and while the risk of transmission is relatively low, those who bought potentially affected fruit should cook it well or throw it out.
The fruit concerned is Royal Gala and New Zealand Beauty apples and Golden Queen peaches. None was exported.
The ministry says the virus can remain infectious on the surface of fruit for several months and transmit infection to other handlers and consumers.
Some potentially affected fruit has been traced and withdrawn from sale, but it is believed 1400 cartons were sold and have been either consumed or are still in people's homes.
The ministry is still working to identify eight smaller fruit sellers in Auckland and Christchurch that received the potentially contaminated fruit.
The apples and peaches were on sale between 27 February and 13 March 2014 at the following outlets:
- Royal Gala apples from all Countdown, Fresh Choice and Super Value supermarkets in the North Island.
- Golden Queen peaches from all Countdown, Fresh Choice and Super Value supermarkets in the North Island; and Pak'n'Save, New World and Four Square supermarkets from Taupo to Kaitaia.
- New Zealand Beauty apples from all Countdown, Fresh Choice and Super Value supermarkets in the South Island.
Countdown says it has withdrawn the suspect fruit from sale and all fruit currently on sale at its stores has not been not sourced from the packhouse concerned.
