Check Your Freezer: FDA Guidance on GreenWise Frozen Organic Blueberries Linked to E. coli O145:H28
If you shop Publix or stock up on frozen fruit, this is a quick check worth doing today. The FDA is continuing to investigate E. coli O145:H28 linked to certain GreenWise frozen organic blueberries (and whole mixed berries). The FDA consumer guidance includes specific product identifiers (including lot/batch codes and best-by dates)—so you can match what you have at home and take action.
Do this first: find the package in your freezer and compare the brand/product name, the lot code, and the best-by date to the identifiers listed in the FDA materials. If there’s a match, do not eat it—discard it or return it for a refund as directed by FDA.
Do a 5-minute freezer check (match the exact identifiers)
Before you cook anything, thaw anything, or “just sample,” check the package for the details FDA lists. For frozen berries, the safest approach is:
- Locate the package of GreenWise frozen organic blueberries or GreenWise whole mixed berries you have on hand.
- Find the lot/batch code and the best-by date printed on the package.
- Compare to the FDA identifiers for the GreenWise products connected to the E. coli O145:H28 investigation.
If both the lot code and best-by date match what FDA lists, the item is part of the consumer action guidance. (If they don’t match, keep going with your day—but avoid “guessing” when labels are unclear.)
If your product matches: don’t eat—discard or return
For matched GreenWise frozen items under the FDA action guidance, the next steps are straightforward:
- Do not eat the berries.
- Discard them or return them for a refund as directed in the FDA recall information.
Frozen produce isn’t the time to “cook longer.” The goal is to remove the specific recalled/identified product from your home.
Cleanup matters: prevent cross-contamination during disposal or thawing
Even when food is frozen, handling can spread contamination if berries leak, thawed juices get on surfaces, or packaging condensate drips. After you remove the matched product, treat your kitchen like it could use a reset—especially where the berries or packaging may have contacted.
Focus on the likely contact points:
- Countertops and nearby prep areas
- Sink areas where bags or packages were rinsed or handled
- Utensils, bowls, or containers used to open the package or scoop berries
- Freezer bins/drawers and the shelf where the product sat
- Any refrigerator areas that were used to thaw, even briefly
Practical cleanup routine:
- Bag it up: Put the discarded product and any loose packaging in a trash bag before you wipe anything down.
- Wash first, then disinfect: Wash hands and any reusable tools with hot soapy water, then disinfect surfaces where the berries or liquids may have touched.
- Pay attention to drips and moisture: Check under the package location, around the freezer drawer track, and around the sink rim and faucet handles if you handled the bag there.
- Clean utensils the right way: Dishwashers are helpful, but if an item wasn’t dishwasher-safe, wash thoroughly and disinfect as appropriate.
If you thawed berries before noticing the label match, take extra care around the area where thawed liquid may have collected. The “extra step” is washing/disinfecting—so your kitchen doesn’t unintentionally spread contamination to other foods.
What the investigation update means for you right now
The FDA’s E. coli O145:H28 outbreak investigation page is updated as more information becomes available. For home households, the practical takeaway is:
- Keep checking the official FDA consumer guidance for the GreenWise product identifiers.
- Don’t assume “outbreak updates” automatically mean it’s safe to eat everything in your freezer. Use the label match guidance, not headlines.
- Stay alert by tracking official updates. The CDC’s Foodborne Outbreaks Index is another reputable place to watch for ongoing foodborne illness information.
When you follow the “check and act” steps—matching identifiers, not eating matched product, and cleaning contact surfaces—you’re doing the right thing even while investigators continue their work.
When to get help
If someone in your household ate the matched GreenWise product and later develops symptoms concerning for foodborne illness, contact a healthcare provider. If you need it, tell them what food was involved and when it was eaten.
Quick checklist (save this)
- Find GreenWise frozen organic blueberries / whole mixed berries in your freezer.
- Match brand/product name, lot code, and best-by date to FDA identifiers.
- If it matches: do not eat—discard or return for refund.
- Clean and disinfect freezer/fridge contact points plus counters/sink/utensils that may have touched berries or packaging moisture.
- Keep checking FDA and CDC outbreak updates for new guidance.
