People are picking ripe blueberries in the fields at the Yiyun Blueberry Base in Yishan Town, Guanyun County, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China on June 15, 2026. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
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A major grocery chain wants customers to do more than just check their freezers for packages of blueberries that have been linked to a dozen E. coli cases. It advises shoppers to get rid of any blueberries made by that producer and purchased from its stores before this weekend.
Big picture view:
The supermarket giant Publix announced Friday the recall of a single lot of 10 oz. packages of frozen GreenWise Organic IQF blueberries. The affected products all have the lot code of 60401 and a Best By Date of February 9, 2028.
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The blueberries, which are sold under the grocer’s specialty, private-label brand, were sold across all states where Publix has stores, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
What they’re saying:
While the statement qualified that no other lot codes were included in the recall, it went on to add that “Publix is advising customers return or discard any frozen GreenWise blueberries products with a purchase date of 7/3/2026 or before.”
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What you can do:
In its statement, Publix emphasized that anyone who has the recalled blueberries should not eat them. They are advised to throw out the packages or return them to the store for a full refund.
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Why you should care:
The recall announcement explained that, between May 11 and June 5, there had been 12 confirmed cases of people getting stomach illnesses from an E. coli strain. Those infected by E. coli can experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting, among other symptoms.
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The producer, Frutas y Hortalizas S.A., instituted the recall after learning that people who ate the affected blueberries were the ones who got sick, Publix explained.
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