Publix recalls blueberries after E. coli outbreak sickens 12, hospitalizes 4
A multistate outbreak of E. coli O145:H28 has prompted Publix to expand its recall of GreenWise frozen fruit products after federal investigators linked contaminated blueberries to illnesses in Florida and Georgia.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that 12 people have become ill and four have been hospitalized after consuming frozen organic blueberries traced to Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., a supplier based in San Carlos, Chile. No deaths have been reported, and the investigation remains ongoing.
On July 29, Publix voluntarily recalled all lots of its GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries in both 10-ounce and 48-ounce packages. The broader recall followed an earlier July 3 recall involving a single lot of frozen blueberries after investigators identified concerns about additional shipments from the same supplier.
~
The recalled products were distributed to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Publix said it had already removed the products from store shelves through an internal stop-sale at the end of June, and the items remain unavailable for purchase.
~!
According to the FDA, the outbreak has resulted in 11 illnesses in Florida and one in Georgia, with the last reported illness beginning on June 5. Federal inspectors have since placed frozen blueberries from the Chilean supplier on an import alert, allowing future shipments to be detained while the company addresses food safety concerns.
Health officials warn that Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that may become bloody, nausea and vomiting. While many people recover within about a week, some infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially life-threatening form of kidney failure that poses the greatest risk to young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Consumers are urged to check their freezers for the recalled GreenWise frozen blueberries and mixed berries. Anyone who purchased the products should not eat them, even if they appear normal. The FDA advises consumers to throw the berries away or return them to Publix for a full refund and to thoroughly clean any surfaces or containers that came into contact with the recalled fruit.
Anyone who develops symptoms of an E. coli infection after eating the recalled berries should contact a health care provider immediately as federal and state officials continue working to determine how the contamination occurred.
Video:
~
(Sources: FDA, Publix, Local 3 News)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
