The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an urgent alert for consumers to immediately discard or return the 10-ounce package of Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend frozen organic berry mix, which has been recalled due to possible contamination with E. coli in 16 states across the country.
The product was distributed to Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The FDA reminded that on July 3, the supplier company, Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., recalled a batch of frozen organic blueberries from the GreenWise brand, also in 10-ounce packages, that were sold in Publix stores across several states.
The alert is now expanded to include the bag containing three types of frozen fruits: strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries from the Great Value brand.
Both the blueberry packages recalled in July and the three-fruit mix have the lot code printed as 60401 (printed on the packaging as 6 040 01) and an expiration date of February 9, 2028.
Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., based in San Carlos, Chile, stated that the recall was issued "as a precautionary measure following tracking information from the previous recall" and that, at the time of the announcement, no illnesses had been directly linked to this specific product.
However, the outbreak of E. coli O145:H28 linked to organic frozen blueberries from the same company has already infected 17 people in Florida and Georgia, with six hospitalizations and no reported deaths, with cases recorded between May 11 and August 2.
The FDA was firm in its warning: "If you froze a product without its original packaging and cannot determine if it is part of the recall, dispose of it."
In addition, restaurants, retailers, and customers in the food service sector who have purchased or received recalled berries, including wholesale products, must carefully clean and disinfect any surface or container that has come into contact with them.
Consumers who have the product can return it to any Walmart store for a full refund without the need to present a receipt.
In early July, the Publix supermarket chain recalled its GreenWise frozen blueberries in Florida and seven other southeastern states in the United States after 12 cases of gastrointestinal illness linked to a dangerous strain of E. coli were confirmed.
On July 29, Publix expanded the recall to all lots of GreenWise organic frozen blueberries and whole mixed berries due to potential contamination with E. coli O145.
On August 18, Publix expanded the recall of its frozen blueberries and mixed fruit products under the GreenWise brand to include all available lots, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified the recall as Class I, its highest risk level, due to possible contamination with the bacteria E. coli O145:H28.
Raising the withdrawal classification to Class I indicates that there is a reasonable likelihood that the product's consumption may result in serious health consequences or even death.
The strain E. coli O145:H28 belongs to the group of Shiga toxin-producing bacteria (STEC), considered among the most dangerous of pathogenic E. coli. They can cause intense stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting, and in more severe cases, trigger hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication that involves acute renal failure.
Symptoms usually appear three to four days after exposure, and the most vulnerable groups are young children and the elderly.
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