The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a recall alert due to concerns about Listeria contamination in frozen blueberries distributed across multiple states. Oregon Potato Company, based in Salem, Oregon, is voluntarily recalling 25,260 kilograms of “Individually Quick Frozen” (IQF) blueberries following potential exposure to Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, as reported by the FDA.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a rare yet severe illness characterized by sudden onset symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, cramps, severe headache, constipation, or fever. These blueberries were not directly sold to consumers through retail outlets but were distributed in Michigan, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. The specific retail locations where the blueberries were sold were not disclosed by the FDA.
Although the FDA stated that the products were distributed in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) mentioned that no recall has been initiated in Canada. The CFIA clarified that all affected imported products identified in the U.S. recall were contained in the importer’s warehouse before any distribution took place, ensuring that no contaminated products reached Canadian retailers or consumers, thereby posing no risk in Canada.
The affected blueberries are packaged in either polyethylene bags within corrugated cases or polyethylene liners within totes, according to the FDA. The recall notice was initially published on the FDA’s website on February 12 and was subsequently upgraded to a “Class I” recall on February 24. A Class I recall indicates a high risk where the use of the product could result in severe health consequences or even death, particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations like newborns and older adults, who might develop complications such as brain inflammation, blood infections, or fatality.
