A voluntary recall of frozen organic blueberries has been elevated to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s most serious risk category after evidence linked the products to a potentially life-threatening bacterial contamination.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, the FDA has reclassified the recall of GreenWise Organic frozen blueberries as Class I. That designation applies when there is a “reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
The original recall was initiated last month by Chile-based Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur SA after testing detected a presumptive positive result for E. coli. Publix later expanded the action, removing all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries from stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The supermarket chain had already placed an internal stop-sale on the berries at the end of June.
As of July 30, the FDA reported 12 confirmed illnesses in Florida and Georgia, four of which required hospitalization. No deaths have been recorded. Illness onset dates ranged from May 11 to June 5, and the investigation remains active.
Publix stated the products may have been contaminated with E. coli O145, a strain that produces Shiga toxins capable of damaging the intestinal lining. Symptoms typically include severe abdominal cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.
While most healthy adults recover within a week, young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems face a heightened risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a dangerous complication that can lead to kidney failure.
Of the nine patients interviewed by health officials, seven reported consuming the frozen blueberries. Five specifically identified GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries purchased at Publix. The affected items were sold in 10-ounce and 48-ounce bags under UPCs 41415-06453 and 41415-12053 for the pure blueberries, and 41415-06753 and 41415-12153 for the mixed-berry blend.
“FDA and state partners are actively working to determine the source of contamination,” the agency said. Investigators have not yet identified how the fruit became tainted, though E. coli can enter produce through contaminated irrigation water containing animal feces. The bacteria can survive freezing temperatures and reactivate once the product is thawed and warmed.
Consumers who purchased the recalled products are advised not to eat them and to discard or return the bags to the place of purchase. Anyone experiencing symptoms after eating the berries should seek medical attention promptly.