FDA Labels Organic Blueberry Recall Deadly Due to Listeria Risk

Earlier this summer, Alma Pak International, LLC. voluntarily pulled 400 boxes, about 12,000 pounds, of organic blueberries due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. But as of July 1, the situation has taken a serious turn.

According to the FDA, the recall is now a Class I health risk, which means the product poses “a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

The impacted blueberries were packed in 30-pound containers labeled with lot numbers 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096. The company emphasized that “all of the affected product was recovered before it was available to the retail market” and that it was shipped to just one customer in North Carolina.

Listeria is no joke. It can lead to severe health complications, particularly in pregnant women, older adults, newborns, and people with compromised immune systems. Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, and confusion, and in the worst cases, it can cause meningitis or miscarriage. Fortunately, no illnesses have been linked to this recall.

Alma Pak International also said it has taken “additional corrective actions and preventive controls to further strengthen its already rigorous food safety systems.