Fruits exported from Romania, "uncontaminated with hepatitis A"

The unit in Romania that provided forest blueberries to an Italian beneficiary meets all veterinary rules and does not have any issues related to the alert issued by Italy for the mix berries contaminated with hepatitis A.

The specification was made for Radio Romania by the President of ANSVSA, Vladimir Mănăstireanu.

"From our standpoint, we completed the alert about 2-3 weeks now and can say that Romania is okay. The company that strictly exports frozen fruit in Italy is a partner with the firm in Italy, does not supplies on the market in Romania, but even in these conditions the problem is not in our country", also said ANSVSA President, Vladimir Mănăstireanu.

Several tons of frozen berries exported from Romania, Poland and Bulgaria in September last year have been withdrawn from sale in Italy, after it was found they were contaminated with hepatitis A, according to information entered into the European food alert.

The alert on this topic, introduced in Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed on May 30th, vising a lot of frozen berries that, according to information updated Monday, June the 17th, has been withdrawn from the market in Italy.

The measure was ordered by Italian authorities after has been discovered hepatitis A within the batch.
Italy introduced in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed another two alerts regarding the frozen berries lots that are contaminated with hepatitis A.

The batches brought from Canada, Serbia, Bulgaria and Poland have been also withdrawn.

Hepatitis A is an infectious disease caused by this virus, which is transmitted through contaminated food and water, having an incubation period of 15 to 45 days.


Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University