Frozen Is Not Safe: GreenWise Frozen Blueberries Recalled Over E. coli
By the EatSure teamPublished Updated 2 min read
On this page
At a glance
- On July 3, 2026, Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur of San Carlos, Chile recalled one lot of GreenWise organic frozen blueberries, the Publix store brand, in 10-ounce bags: lot 60401, best by February 9, 2028.
- As of the FDA's July 6 update, 12 people in two states, including Florida, are sick with E. coli O145:H28. Four have been hospitalized and none have died.
- Seven of the nine sick people interviewed reported eating frozen blueberries.
- Illnesses began between May 11 and June 5.
The issue
Freezing pauses bacteria. It does not kill them. The strain in this outbreak, E. coli O145:H28, produces Shiga toxin, which can cause bloody diarrhea and, in children under five and older adults, hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious kidney complication. On July 3, the Chilean packer Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur recalled one lot of GreenWise organic frozen blueberries after health officials linked the berries to the illnesses.
How big it is so far
As of the FDA's July 6 update, twelve people in two states have been infected with the outbreak strain, four of them hospitalized, with no deaths. Illnesses started between May 11 and June 5. Seven of the nine people interviewed remembered eating frozen blueberries in the week before they got sick. The recalled product is GreenWise-brand organic blueberries in 10-ounce packages, lot 60401, best by February 9, 2028.
What it means for you
A frozen bag lives in the freezer for months and is used a handful at a time in smoothies. A July recall can apply to a bag you bought in the spring, and the lot code is under a layer of frost. If you want the background on why recalls land weeks after people get sick, see why food recalls are announced weeks after contamination.
How EatSure closes the gap
Receipt items stay on watch, for a month on the free plan and up to 12 months on Pro, so a bag bought in the spring is still matched when its recall posts in the summer. When it matches, the "Why this flagged" panel says what was recalled and how to tell your package apart from similar ones, and "Check your package" tells you which code and date to look for. The explanation is written for a shopper, not an inspector.
What to do if you have it
- Check your freezer for GreenWise organic frozen blueberries, 10 ounces, lot 60401, best by February 9, 2028.
- Do not eat them, including in smoothies or baking. Throw them away or return them to the store.
- See a doctor for bloody diarrhea, or for diarrhea with little or no urination in a child or older adult. Those can be early signs of hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Updates since publication
Publix recalled every lot of GreenWise Organic Frozen Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries, shipped to its stores in eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. If you have either product, whatever the lot code, do not eat it.
Source: FDA, Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O145:H28: Frozen Blueberries, update of July 30 · July 30, 2026
The FDA classified the recall Class I, its highest risk level.
Source: News4Jax, FDA upgrades Publix GreenWise frozen-berry recall to highest risk · August 20, 2026
The count reached 17 people sick, 6 of them hospitalized. Illnesses began between May 11 and August 2.
Source: FDA, Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O145:H28: Frozen Blueberries, update of September 3 · September 3, 2026
The CDC declared the outbreak over, with 17 illnesses and 6 hospitalizations in total.
Source: FDA, Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O145:H28: Frozen Blueberries, final update · September 21, 2026
