A blueberry recall first announced in July over potential E. coli contamination has been expanded to include frozen mixed packages of strawberries, blackberries and blueberries sold at Walmart, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Chilean supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. has recalled one lot of 10-ounce packages of Great Value frozen Organic Triple Berry Blend. The frozen berries were sold at select Walmart stores in 16 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

The supplier initially recalled packages of 10-ounce GreenWise Organic IQF Blueberries in July after receiving reports that consumers had become ill after eating them. Those blueberries were distributed to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Seventeen people in Florida and Georgia reported falling ill after eating the blueberries, including six hospitalizations.

So far, there are no reports of anyone becoming sick from the berry mix.

The recall is the latest in a series of food-safety incidents involving frozen fruit. Frozen berries have been linked to past outbreaks in the United States, including hepatitis A outbreaks in 2016 and 2019 traced to imported frozen strawberries, prompting the FDA in recent years to increase sampling and testing of frozen berries for pathogens as part of its prevention-focused approach under the Food Safety Modernization Act. Because freezing preserves pathogens rather than killing them, frozen fruit is not immune to contamination risks even though it is often assumed to be safer than fresh produce.

The recalled mixed berries carry Universal Product Code 7874211226 and a best-by date of Feb. 9, 2028.

E. coli O145 is a Shiga toxin-producing strain of the bacteria. It can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody, and nausea. While most healthy people recover within about a week, infections can lead to a serious complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, particularly among young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains other than O157, such as O145, are less commonly detected in part because not all clinical laboratories routinely test for them, which public health agencies have noted can delay outbreak identification.

The FDA advises consumers to throw the berry mix away or return it to Walmart for a refund.

Source: Fox Business