FDA upgrades frozen blueberries recall to Class I over listeria concern

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has upgraded a recall of more than 55,000 pounds of frozen blueberries distributed in the United States and Canada to Class I status following potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, its most serious risk classification.

Oregon Potato Company LLC initiated the voluntary recall of 55,689 pounds of individually quick-frozen blueberries earlier this month. On Tuesday, the FDA escalated the recall to Class I, defined as a “situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death”.

The company distributed the blueberries in Michigan, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin, as well as Canada. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The action comes amid continued regulatory focus on listeria in frozen and ready-to-eat supply chains. Last July, the FDA escalated a recall of organic blueberries from Alma Pak International LLC to its highest risk category after positive tests for Listeria monocytogenes, and last month US authorities recalled more than 13,000 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken over the same pathogen.

Product details and food safety advice

According to the FDA’s enforcement report, the affected blueberries were not sold directly to consumers through retail outlets but supplied in bulk formats to foodservice operators and manufacturers. Affected packs include 30-pound cases with polyethylene liners and 1,400-pound totes.

Impacted case lot codes are 2055 B2, 2065 B1 and 2065 B3, with expiry dates of 23 and 24 July 2027. Tote lot codes are 3305 A1 and 3305 B1, with an expiry date of 25 November 2027.

Listeriosis can cause serious and potentially fatal infections, particularly among older adults, pregnant women, infants and immunocompromised individuals. Symptoms may include fever, headache, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Infection during pregnancy carries significant risks, including miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or severe infection in newborns.

Although the FDA did not specify actions for customers who may have received the affected product, standard food safety guidance advises against using recalled stock. Food safety experts warn that listeria survives and spreads in refrigerated environments, so operators must thoroughly clean chillers, storage areas and all food contact surfaces exposed to the affected product.

Consumers who develop symptoms after consuming the recalled product should seek medical attention immediately. Those in higher-risk groups who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of possible exposure should inform healthcare providers of the suspected contamination.

As recalls linked to listeria continue to impact the food sector, food safety and quality teams can learn more about effective testing strategies in New Food’s upcoming webinar, Rethinking Listeria monitoring: faster, simpler solutions for food safety and environmental testing, which examines how advances in detection and monitoring are helping manufacturers reduce risk and respond faster to contamination threats.