The Food & Drug Administration has launched an investigation into Fairview, OR-based Townsend Farms after a rarely-seen strain of hepatitis A has caused 30 illnesses and preliminary epidemiological studies are pointing the finger at the Townsend Farms Organic Anti-oxidant Blend frozen berry mix.

As of May 31, 30 people in five western states have become ill with hepatitis A, and 11 of the 17 people interviewed by health officials reported eating the frozen berry and pomegranate seed mix purchased from Costco, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Preliminary tests show the outbreak strain is genotype 1B, which is rarely seen in the Americas and circulates mainly in North Africa and the Middle East, CDC said. In fact, the genotype was identified in an outbreak in Europe linked to frozen berries earlier this year, and another outbreak in Canada linked to a frozen berry blend with pomegranate seeds from Egypt in 2012.

The Townsend Farms Organic Anti-oxidant Blend frozen berry mix associated with illnesses contained pomegranate seeds and other produce from the United States, Argentina, Chile and Turkey, according to the product label.

Townsend Farms, a sixth-generation family farm that markets fresh and frozen berries, says on its website that it is an early adopter of the Produce Traceability Initiative, and follows Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices.

Along with inspecting the Townsend Farms' processing facilities, FDA said that it is developing a protocol to test berries for the hepatitis A virus and will be testing samples related to the outbreak.

In the meantime, Costco is notifying its members who purchased the product since February, and the retailer removed the product from its shelves, CDC stated. No official recall has been announced as of press time.

California officials are advising consumers to contact their doctors if they have consumed the product in the last two weeks. Three of the six confirmed illnesses in that state have been hospitalized with the liver disease.

"People who have bought this product should discard it if still found in their home," Ron Chapman, California Department of Public Health director and state health officer, said in a May 31 statement. "Anyone who has consumed this specific product in the last 14 days should contact their doctor to discuss possible hepatitis A prevention and treatment options."

Hepatitis A vaccination can prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure to the contaminated product.