Nine Australians have contracted hepatitis A infection after having eaten contaminated berries imported from China.

Rosemary Lester, chief health officer in Victoria state, said, "Hepatitis A virus infection is uncommon and normally associated with travel to countries affected by endemic hepatitis A. The only common link between the cases is consumption of this product, there is no overseas travel or common restaurant exposure."
Enzo Palombo, a food health and safety expert at Swinburne University of Technology, said, "In this situation, the most likely culprit is poor hygiene at the site of production. Hepatitis A is transmitted by the so-called 'fecal-oral' route, an infected person sheds the virus in their feces which then contaminates food or water. The virus either directly contaminates the food through a food handler not washing their hands properly or it could come from contaminated water used to wash the berries."
Source-Medindia