The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday gave Publix's GreenWise berry recall its highest risk ranking, classifying four products as Class I after they were pulled from shelves on July 29 over possible E. coli O145 contamination. The action covers Organic Whole Blueberries and Organic Whole Mixed Berries in 10-ounce and 48-ounce packages.
That warning matters because a Class I recall means the agency sees a reasonable probability that exposure to the product could cause serious health consequences or death. By the time the FDA issued the classification, it had already reported 12 illnesses in Florida and Georgia and four hospitalizations as of July 30, though no deaths had been reported.
The four recalled products are Organic Whole Blueberries, 10 oz, UPC 41415-06453; Organic Whole Blueberries, 48 oz, UPC 41415-12053; Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10 oz, UPC 41415-06753; and Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48 oz, UPC 41415-12153. The berries were shipped to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, putting the recall in front of shoppers across much of the Southeast and into Virginia.
E. coli O145 is a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, and in severe cases it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome. The illnesses began between May 11 and June 5, according to the FDA, which means the contamination problem was already producing sick patients well before the agency moved the recall into its highest risk category.
What still is not known is how the berries became contaminated in the first place. The FDA said its investigation remained ongoing, and that is the part of the case that will matter next: whether the source is traced and whether any further products are affected. For now, the agency is telling consumers not to eat the recalled berries and to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
