The FDA issued a Class I Blueberry recall on Tuesday for four Publix GreenWise berry products sold at Publix after a July 29 recall over possible E. coli O145 contamination. Consumers in eight states were affected, and the agency told buyers not to eat the berries.
The products were Organic Whole Blueberries in 10 oz and 48 oz packages, plus Organic Whole Mixed Berries in 10 oz and 48 oz packages. Their UPC numbers are 41415-06453, 41415-12053, 41415-06753 and 41415-12153.
Publix GreenWise lots
Publix said it recalled all lots of the four products on July 29. The berries had been shipped to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
As of July 30, the FDA had reported 12 illnesses in Florida and Georgia, including four hospitalizations. No deaths had been reported. The illnesses began between May 11 and June 5, according to the FDA, and a Publix Organic Blueberry Recall Follows 12 E. coli Illnesses report tracked the recalled products as the investigation widened.
FDA Class I classification
A Class I risk classification is the FDA's highest of three risk levels. The agency uses it for situations where exposure can cause serious health consequences or death, and the recalled E. coli O145 was described as a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC.
The FDA said its investigation remained ongoing. For now, the practical step is direct: throw away the recalled berries or return them to the place of purchase, especially if they came from one of the listed packages.
Children younger than 5, adults older than 65 and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness from STEC, so families with those members should treat the recalled packages as a priority. The unresolved question is what caused the contamination in the berries that moved from the fields into frozen product.
