Australia's meat pie producing company Patties Foods has decided to scrap its interim dividend following the frozen berries recall due to potential microbiological contamination.
The company recalled contaminated products earlier this month after confirming five cases of hepatitis A in New South Wales and Victoria linked to the products.
According to Reuters, the company had paid an interim dividend of A$0.032 a year earlier.
Meanwhile, Patties Foods has reported a 6% fall in net profit for the six months to 31 December 2014.
The recalled products include Nanna's Mixed Berries and Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries and were produced and packed in China.
The Australian government, which has reportedly moved to complete screening of Patties frozen berries from factories in China following the outbreak.
Currently, the Australian and Chinese authorities are investigating the outbreak, probing the supply chains of all Chinese frozen berries importers.
A liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis A is associated with unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene.
