Frozen Blueberries Recalled after Listeria Risk Prompts Multi-State Alert
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that frozen blueberries recalled by a Salem firm pose a potential life-threatening Listeria monocytogenes risk, a development that has prompted a Class I recall and distribution notices across multiple states and Canada. The move matters because the product moved through business-to-business channels and carries specific lot codes and expiration dates that businesses and public-health officials are now tracing.
Frozen Blueberries Recalled after Oregon Potato Company flags product
Oregon Potato Company, a family-owned business in Salem that specializes in frozen and dehydrated potatoes, vegetables and fruits, flagged 55, 689 pounds of individually quick-frozen blueberries. Federal regulators announced a recall of roughly 55, 000 pounds of frozen blueberries over potential Listeria contamination. The recalled blueberries were not sold directly to consumers in retail stores but were moved between businesses within the supply chain, and the recall remains ongoing after being initiated by email.
Timeline and Class I designation for the recalled blueberries
The recall was initiated on Feb. 12 and was classified as a Class I recall on Feb. 24. Regulators warned that exposure to the potential Listeria monocytogenes "could cause serious adverse health consequences or death. " A Class I recall is described 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. "
Distribution footprint and company names on affected shipments
The product was distributed in Michigan, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin, and was also distributed throughout Canada. The affected blueberries bear the name Willamette Valley Fruit Company on the packaging identified in enforcement notices.
Packaging, lot codes and expiration dates businesses must check
Affected items include 30-pound cases packaged in polyethylene bags within corrugated cases; those cases show expiration dates from July 23, 2027, to July 24, 2027, and bear lot codes 2055 B2, 2065 B1 and 2065 B3. Regulators also stated that 1, 400-pound totes were affected, with lot codes 3305 A1 and 3305 B1, both expiring on Nov. 25, 2027; these totes are packaged in polyethylene liners within Gaylord totes, heavy-duty industrial-grade plastic bags placed in large bulk-shipping containers.
What Listeria monocytogenes is and the health warnings linked to the recall
L. monocytogenes is a disease-causing bacteria that is generally transmitted where food is harvested and processed in manufacturing or production environments. It can cause foodborne illness with symptoms such as fever, diarrhea and vomiting. Less severe cases can produce fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea for anywhere between one and three days. More serious cases may lead to headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Pregnant women, young children, adults over the age of 65 and people with weakened or compromised immune systems are at higher risk for more severe listeriosis.
What businesses and public-health officials are being asked to do now
Because the recalled blueberries were not sold to consumers in retail stores, businesses that handled the product are being urged to identify and isolate affected lots. Regulators recommend precautions such as wiping up spills, washing hands, cleaning refrigerators, sanitizing surfaces and contacting the local health department if there are concerns about possible outbreaks. Individuals who are concerned about possible exposure are advised to contact a health care provider. The recall notification remains ongoing as officials continue outreach to businesses in the supply chain.
