Woman dies from hepatitis A after eating frozen pomegranate

Packets of frozen pomegranate seeds linked to 24 cases of infection

Health authorities say fresh and locally grown pomegranate products were not affected (iStock)

A woman has died after she contracted hepatitis A from a packet of frozen pomegranate seeds.

The 64-year-old woman's death in southern Australia is a "rare and tragic case," a state chief medical officer said.

In April, health officials issued a nationwide recall of Creative Gourmet's frozen pomegranate arils, the outgrowth of the pomegranate seeds.

The product has been linked to 24 cases of heptatitis A.

Around 2,000 packets of the pomegranate arils, grown in Egypt, had been sold by the Australian-owned company.

Health authorities said fresh and locally grown pomegranate products were not affected.

"The majority of people infected with hepatitis A recover fully and the woman's death is the only death linked to this recalled product nationally to date," South Australia's chief medical officer, Paddy Phillips, said.

"While we expect most people would have disposed of the recalled product, we urge everyone to double-check freezers and remove any affected products."

He said it typically takes between 15 and 50 days to develop symptoms of hepatitis A, which include nausea, vomiting, fever and yellowing of the skin.