More than 55,000 pounds of frozen blueberries have been recalled over a potential contamination with listeria – a disease-causing bacteria that can be fatal — according to food safety regulators.
Oregon Potato Company – which sells potatoes, vegetables and frozen fruits – earlier this month issued a recall of 55,689 pounds of its frozen blueberries.
The funky fruit was sent to food manufacturers, retail brands and food service distributors across Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Canada, according to the US Food & Drug Administration.
On Tuesday, the FDA identified the recall as a Class I situation, meaning “there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
That risk comes from the blueberries’ potential contamination with listeria – a bacteria that can cause mild symptoms like fever, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, but in more severe and potentially life-threatening cases can cause convulsions, stiff neck and confusion.
Newborns, seniors, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to the disease, according to the FDA – which added that anyone with symptoms should immediately contact their doctor.
Listeria can grow even in freezing conditions, so frozen blueberries stored in refrigerators and freezers could still be contaminated.
The baleful blueberries originated from Oregon Potato Company’s operations in Salem, Mass., known as the Willamette Valley Fruit Company.
Oregon Potato Company did not immediately respond to noti.group’s request for comment.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
