Overview
- The FDA upgraded the recall to its highest risk category on Tuesday, Aug. 18, saying there is a reasonable probability that exposure to the products could cause serious adverse health consequences.
- Publix recalled all lots of four GreenWise frozen products — organic whole blueberries and organic whole mixed berries in 10‑ounce and 48‑ounce bags — identified by specific UPCs and shipped to stores in eight Southeastern states.
- Public health investigators have linked the products to a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin–producing E. coli O145:H28 that has sickened 12 people and hospitalized four, with illness onset dates reported between mid‑May and early June.
- The recall began after supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. pulled a presumptively positive lot on July 3 and Publix expanded the action on July 29; the FDA and CDC are conducting traceback and facility assessments while the supplier faces tighter import scrutiny.
- Officials warn that freezing does not reliably kill E. coli and the recalled bags carry best‑by dates into 2028, so consumers should check freezers, discard or return the products, clean any contacted surfaces, and seek medical care for symptoms such as severe cramps or bloody diarrhea.