A months-long recall of frozen organic berries linked to an outbreak of E. coli O145 has expanded again, adding products sold at Walmart and Trader Joe’s to an investigation that began this summer with frozen blueberries sold at Publix.
Chile-based Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. expanded its recall Oct. 2 to include additional Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend and Great Value Organic Blueberries sold at Walmart, along with Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend.
The Food and Drug Administration said the products may be contaminated with the outbreak strain of E. coli O145.
The outbreak itself has been declared over, but the recall continues because additional potentially contaminated products were identified during an FDA inspection of the supplier in Chile.
According to the FDA, 17 illnesses were reported in Florida and Georgia, including six hospitalizations. No deaths were reported. Illnesses began between May 11 and August 2, and 11 of 13 patients interviewed reported eating frozen blueberries.
Recall Has Expanded Since July
The investigation initially centered on GreenWise Organic Frozen Whole Blueberries sold by Publix. Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur recalled a lot of 10-ounce GreenWise organic blueberries July 3.
Publix subsequently broadened its action July 29 to cover all lots of GreenWise Organic Frozen Whole Blueberries and GreenWise Organic Frozen Whole Mixed Berries in both 10- and 48-ounce packages.
Those products had been distributed to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. FDA now lists the Publix recall as terminated.
The supplier expanded the recall again in September to include Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend distributed to select Walmart stores across 27 states and territories.
The latest expansion adds additional Walmart products as well as Trader Joe’s.
Affected Walmart products include 10-ounce packages of Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend and Great Value Organic Blueberries. The Trader Joe’s recall covers 12-ounce packages of Organic Mixed Berry Blend.
The Great Value products were distributed to select Walmart stores in 30 states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, as well as Puerto Rico. The Trader Joe’s product reached stores in 26 states, including Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, as well as Washington, D.C.
An FDA Inspection Led to Latest Expansion
FDA said the October recall followed additional information obtained during an onsite foreign inspection. The agency said the supplier previously had not provided all records FDA requested voluntarily during its outbreak investigation.
Frozen blueberries from the company have also been placed on an FDA import alert, allowing shipments offered for entry into the United States to be detained without physical examination.
FDA said the recalled products should no longer be on store shelves, but their long shelf life means consumers could still have them in home freezers.
Consumers are advised not to eat recalled berries and instead discard them or return them to the retailer for a refund.
E. coli O145 is a Shiga toxin-producing strain that can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting and, in some cases, the potentially life-threatening kidney complication hemolytic uremic syndrome.