Several states, the CDC and the FDA investigated a multistate outbreak of foodborne hepatitis A infections linked to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt. Nearly all ill people interviewed reported drinking smoothies containing strawberries at Tropical Smoothie Café locations prior to August 8 in a limited geographical area that included Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. There were a small number of cases outside of that geographic area with no Tropical Smoothie Café exposure.

A total of 137 people with hepatitis A were reported from reported from 9 states. One hundred twenty nine of these cases reported eating a smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Café. The latest illness onset date for these cases was September 23, 2016. Fourteen cases had no direct exposure to Tropical Smoothie Café. The latest illness onset date among these cases was October 25, 2016. Fifty seven people were hospitalized. There were no deaths.