Farmers union in Valencia has asked Spain’s Minister of Agriculture to act over reported discovery of Hepatitis A in February

Strawberries Adobe Stock 280355841

Image: Adobe Stock

Valencian farmers association Ava-Asaja has demanded “urgent measures” from the Spanish government and the EU after Hepatitis A was allegedly found in strawberries from Morocco.

The discovery, which prompted an alert to be issued on the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, was made in a shipment that was tested in Spain on 19 February.

According to the notification, the risk is classified as “serious” because the substance exceeded the maximum level allowed per 25g.

Ava-Asaja chair Cristóbal Aguado has asked Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas to “urgently ask the Government of Morocco for explanations and confirm what measures it plans to undertake to prevent this type of situation occurring again.”

Spain issued another alert linked to Moroccan strawberries earlier this year, citing a “potentially serious” detection of Norovirus genotype II.