Publix expands frozen berry recall over possible E. coli contamination
A Publix store has expanded its recall of frozen GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries after the products were linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak. Customers are urged not to consume the recalled berries and to return them f
Publix has expanded its recall of frozen GreenWise berry products over concerns they may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O145:H28, a strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli that can cause serious illness.
Why you should care:
The grocery chain is now recalling all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
RELATED: Frozen blueberries sold at Publix recalled after 12 E. coli cases
The expanded recall follows a July 3 recall of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10-ounce packages with Lot Code 60401, that was announced by supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. of San Carlos, Chile. Publix said it is now recalling all lots of the frozen blueberry and mixed berry products "out of an abundance of caution" after public health officials linked the products through traceback and epidemiological investigations related to an ongoing outbreak.
According to Publix, E. coli O145 can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody and vomiting. While most healthy people recover within about a week, some infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication that is more common in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
A Publix store has expanded its recall of frozen GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries after the products were linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak. Customers are urged not to consume the recalled berries and to return them f
Dig deeper:
Publix said it immediately stopped selling the frozen GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries at the end of June, and the products remain unavailable for purchase.
The expanded recall includes:
- GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10-ounce (UPC: 41415-06453)
- GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 48-ounce (UPC: 41415-12053)
- GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10-ounce (UPC: 41415-06753)
- GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48-ounce (UPC: 41415-12153)
What you can do:
Customers are urged not to consume the recalled products and should either discard them or return them to a Publix store for a full refund.
Customers with questions can contact Publix Customer Care at 800-242-1227 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing to investigate the multistate E. coli outbreak linked to frozen blueberries.
The Source: Information in this story came from Publix's recall announcement, which detailed the expanded recall of GreenWise frozen berry products, the affected states, product information and consumer guidance. This story was reported from Los Angeles.