A recall of frozen organic blueberries and mixed berries sold at Publix stores has been elevated to the FDA’s most serious risk category, as federal officials continue investigating an E. coli outbreak tied to the products.
The FDA classified the recall as Class I on Tuesday, August 18, the designation the agency assigns when there is a reasonable probability that exposure to a product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The upgrade marks a significant escalation from the original recall Publix issued weeks earlier.
The recall began after supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. recalled a single lot of frozen organic GreenWise blueberries in early July, which had been shipped to Publix stores. Publix expanded its own recall a few weeks later, after gathering more epidemiological data, to include additional berry types and package sizes. The recall officially covers all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries, in 10-ounce and 48-ounce packages.
The products were distributed to Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The berries may be contaminated with E. coli O145:H28 and have been linked to an outbreak that has sickened 12 people and hospitalized four, with no deaths reported. Of those illnesses, 11 were reported in Florida and one in Georgia, with symptom onset dates between May 11 and June 5.
The affected berries were removed from store shelves as of late June 2026, but officials warn they may still be sitting in customers’ freezers and should not be eaten. Publix is advising anyone with the recalled products to check lot codes and best-by dates against the official recall list, and to either discard the berries or return them to a Publix store for a full refund.
The FDA’s investigation into the source of the contamination remains ongoing.