FDA Upgrades Frozen Berry Recall to Highest-Risk Warning Over E. Coli Contamination
The Food and Drug Administration has upgraded a major frozen berry recall to its highest-risk classification after investigators linked recalled GreenWise organic blueberries and mixed berries to an ongoing E. coli outbreak.
The FDA has classified the recall as Class 1, the agency’s most serious category. A Class 1 recall is used when there is a reasonable probability that consuming or being exposed to a recalled product could cause serious health consequences or death.
The recalled products were sold through Publix grocery stores in eight states and include GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries in 10-ounce and 48-ounce packages. The products were recalled because of possible contamination with E. coli O145:H28, a strain capable of producing Shiga toxin.
According to the FDA, 12 people in Florida and Georgia have been infected with the outbreak strain, and four people have required hospitalization. No deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak. The investigation remains active as federal and state health officials work to determine the source and full scope of the contamination.
The affected products include GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries sold in 10-ounce packages with UPC 41415-06453 and 48-ounce packages with UPC 41415-12053. Also included are GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries in 10-ounce packages with UPC 41415-06753 and 48-ounce packages with UPC 41415-12153.
The products were distributed to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Consumers who may have purchased the berries are being urged not to eat them. The FDA recommends throwing the products away or returning them to the place of purchase for a refund.
The recall expanded after public health officials investigated illnesses and identified frozen organic blueberries as a common food exposure among some patients. An earlier recall covered a single lot of GreenWise organic blueberries, but Publix subsequently recalled all lots of the affected frozen blueberry and mixed berry products as a precaution.
The FDA also conducted a remote regulatory assessment of Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., a Chilean company involved in packing the blueberries. Investigators identified concerns involving additional lots and expanded the investigation. The FDA has also placed products from the company under an import alert, meaning certain frozen blueberries from the supplier may be detained when entering the United States.
E. coli infections can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Some infections can result in bloody diarrhea and potentially serious complications. The FDA warns that hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, can develop in some cases, particularly among vulnerable people.
The agency says symptoms can begin several days after exposure and may appear as long as nine days after consuming contaminated food. Anyone who has eaten the recalled berries and develops symptoms consistent with an E. coli infection should contact a healthcare provider.
Consumers should also take precautions if the recalled berries have been stored in a freezer or placed in contact with other food. The FDA recommends cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and containers that may have touched the recalled products to reduce the possibility of cross-contamination.
The recalled products have expiration dates before February 9, 2028, meaning some consumers could still have them stored at home even though they were removed from store shelves. Publix has said the products are no longer available for sale, but customers are being advised to check their freezers rather than assume previously purchased berries are safe.
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to investigate the outbreak. Officials have not ruled out the possibility of additional products being added to the recall as more information becomes available.
The upgraded Class 1 designation underscores the seriousness of the warning. Consumers who have any of the recalled GreenWise frozen blueberries or mixed berries should not eat them, regardless of whether the product looks or smells normal.
For now, health officials are urging consumers to check their freezers carefully, identify the recalled products and either discard them safely or return them for a refund. The investigation remains ongoing, and the FDA says its public warning will be updated if new information emerges.
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