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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
The FDA has escalated its recall of GreenWise frozen organic blueberries and mixed berries to a Class I — its highest risk level — citing a "reasonable probability" the products could cause serious harm or death due to E. coli contamination. Distributed across at least eight states, the recall has been building since late June. Critics are also raising alarms about narrowed federal food surveillance under HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy.
The FDA has upgraded its recall of GreenWise frozen organic blueberries and mixed berries to a Class I designation — the agency's highest risk level — signaling that contaminated products pose a "reasonable probability" of causing serious illness or death. The recall, tied to a potential E. coli outbreak, has been escalating since late June when Publix first pulled the berries from shelves. The Class I classification came after the FDA completed a broader risk assessment, and officials note it doesn't necessarily mean the recall has expanded — just that the danger is now formally recognized at the highest tier.
The timeline stretched from a single-batch supplier recall in early July (when only 12 illnesses and 4 hospitalizations had been reported) to a full Publix-wide recall, an FDA import alert, and finally the Class I warning on August 18. The berries were distributed to at least eight states.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Beyond the blueberries, this recall highlights a growing concern: the FDA's food safety surveillance has been narrowed under HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, with FoodNet now tracking only salmonella and STEC instead of the previous eight pathogens. Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams has publicly called for restoring full surveillance — a gap that could slow future outbreak detection.
