Publix recalled all lots of four frozen berry products as officials investigate 12 E. coli cases in Florida and Georgia.
LAKELAND, Fla. — The Food and Drug Administration has classified a recall involving GreenWise organic frozen blueberries and mixed berries at its highest risk level as federal and state health officials continue investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to the products.
The Class I classification is the FDA’s most serious recall category. It is used when there is a reasonable probability that exposure to a recalled product could cause serious health consequences or death. The outbreak linked to the frozen blueberries has sickened 12 people in Florida and Georgia, according to federal health officials. Four people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. The FDA continues to list the investigation as active and the outbreak as ongoing.
Publix announced July 29 that it was recalling all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries because of possible contamination with E. coli O145:H28. The recalled products were shipped to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Publix had already placed an internal stop sale on the frozen GreenWise products by the end of June, and federal officials say they remain unavailable for sale.
The expanded recall covers four products: 10-ounce GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries with UPC 41415-06453; 48-ounce GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries with UPC 41415-12053; 10-ounce GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries with UPC 41415-06753; and 48-ounce GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries with UPC 41415-12153. The July 29 action broadened an earlier recall that had been limited to a single lot of frozen GreenWise organic blueberries.
That first recall was announced July 3 by Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., a supplier based in San Carlos, Chile. It covered 10-ounce packages of GreenWise Organic IQF Blueberries carrying lot code 60401 and a best-by date of Feb. 9, 2028. Federal investigators later said a review of the supplier raised concerns about at least one additional lot of blueberries that had been used in other GreenWise frozen products. Publix then expanded the recall to all lots of the affected blueberry and mixed-berry items.
The outbreak investigation began after the Florida Department of Health notified federal partners about a cluster of E. coli O145 illnesses. Illnesses among known patients began between May 11 and June 5. Of nine patients interviewed about what they had eaten, seven reported eating frozen blueberries, and five specifically reported GreenWise organic frozen blueberries purchased from Publix. Officials have linked the outbreak strain to organic frozen blueberries supplied by the Chilean company, while work to determine how the contamination occurred remains underway.
E. coli O145:H28 is a Shiga toxin-producing strain of the bacteria. Infection can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says symptoms usually begin three to four days after a person swallows the bacteria, although the timing can vary. Most people recover within several days, but some infections can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication that can lead to kidney problems and hospitalization.
The FDA has taken additional action involving the Chilean supplier as investigators examine the source of the contamination. The agency said it conducted a remote regulatory assessment of Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur and reviewed records related to the company’s procedures and hazard controls. FDA officials said they also had concerns about products from the company that had not entered the U.S. market. Products from the supplier were added to an import alert, allowing frozen blueberries offered for entry into the United States to be detained without physical examination while the company works to address the agency’s concerns.
Federal health officials have advised consumers not to eat, sell or serve the recalled GreenWise frozen blueberries or mixed berries. The FDA and CDC say recalled products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase, and surfaces or containers that may have touched the berries should be cleaned. The FDA’s outbreak list continued to show the E. coli O145:H28 investigation as active as of Aug. 19, with recall, traceback and inspection activity underway.
Author note: Last updated August 20, 2026.