Walmart Recalls Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend Due to Potential E. coli Contamination: What Consumers Should Know

Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., based in San Carlos, Chile, has expanded its Walmart sale of a great value frozen organic triple berry blend, 10 oz., due to concerns about possible Escherichia coli O145:H28 (E. coli O145) contamination.

The recalled product was distributed to select Walmart stores in 16 US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. Consumers in these states were advised to check their freezers for the affected product.

The recalled item is Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend, a 10-ounce package containing strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. The product bears UPC 7874211226, with lot code 6040 01-6 printed on the front of the package and a “Best If Used By” date of February 9, 2028.

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The strain is Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), which can cause symptoms including severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea, potentially bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. Most otherwise healthy people recover within about a week, but the infection can sometimes lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication that poses a greater risk to young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

Consumers experiencing the recall of Great Value Organic Triple Berry 10 OZ with lot code 6040 01-6 have been advised not to eat it, according to the company. They should either discard the product or return it to Walmart for a full refund, he added. No illnesses associated with this particular product have yet been reported, and the recall was made as a precautionary measure based on traceability information from an earlier recall.

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Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur SA said it was coordinating with relevant regulatory authorities and customers as part of the recall process.

US FDA Probes Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Broccoli Sprouts; 22 cases were identified

Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Wednesday it was investigating a multi-state outbreak of salmonella infections potentially linked to broccoli sprouts, according to Reuters. The investigation is the latest in a series of foodborne illness cases involving fresh produce in the country.

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The development comes as US authorities continue to investigate a separate outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to lettuce, along with salmonella outbreaks linked to jalapenos and alfalfa sprouts. The series of incidents raised concerns among consumers, some of whom reportedly avoided fresh produce and ate at restaurants.

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 22 cases of salmonella have been identified in four states, with two people requiring hospitalization. No deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak.

According to health officials, a trace-back investigation identified Evergreen Fresh Sprouts in Moyie Springs, Idaho, as a regular grower of the broccoli sprouts that patients consumed before they became ill.

Evergreen Fresh Sprouts began recalling its broccoli sprouts on Sept. 4 after Montana state officials detected salmonella in a sample that was collected and tested.

The FDA said 19 affected people were interviewed, all of whom said they had consumed the sprouts. Of those, 17 specifically said they ate broccoli sprouts.

Health authorities have urged consumers, restaurants and retailers not to consume, serve or sell the recalled broccoli sprouts produced by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can cause food poisoning, with common symptoms including diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps.