Walmart shoppers are being urged to check their freezers after a Great Value frozen berry blend was added to a widening E. coli recall.
According to the FDA recall notice, Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. expanded an earlier recall on September 2 to include one lot of Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend because of possible contamination with E. coli O145:H28. The Walmart berry recall involves 10-ounce bags containing strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
The affected Great Value product carries UPC 7874211226, lot code 6040 01-6, and a Best If Used By date of February 9, 2028, according to the FDA. The long shelf life makes the recall especially important for shoppers who may have purchased the frozen fruit weeks or months ago and still have it stored at home.
The FDA said the affected Great Value frozen berries were shipped to select Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.
So far, federal regulators have not connected any illnesses specifically to the recalled Walmart product.
“There are no illnesses associated with this specific product to date,” the FDA said. “This market action is taken as a precautionary measure following traceback information of the previous recall.”
The distinction is important because the broader outbreak has resulted in illnesses. According to WGCU’s September 3 report citing CDC and Florida health officials, 17 people infected with the outbreak strain had been identified in Florida and Georgia. Six people were hospitalized, and no deaths had been reported. Illnesses began between May 11 and August 2, and 11 of 13 people interviewed by investigators reported eating frozen blueberries.
The Walmart berry recall is the latest expansion of a food safety investigation that began with frozen blueberries sold at Publix.
According to the FDA’s outbreak investigation, Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. initially recalled a specific lot of GreenWise Organic IQF Blueberries on July 3. That recall involved 10-ounce packages with lot code 60401 and a February 9, 2028 best-by date.
The recall widened again on July 29. According to the FDA notice announcing Publix’s expansion, Publix recalled all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries in both 10-ounce and 48-ounce packages. Those products were distributed to Publix locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The GreenWise products are significant because investigators linked the outbreak to frozen organic blueberries from the Chilean supplier. The FDA said its investigation included a regulatory assessment of Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. and a review of company records related to food safety procedures and hazard controls.
For consumers, checking the exact product information matters. The Walmart berry recall does not cover every Great Value frozen fruit product. The FDA notice identifies one lot of the Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend, meaning shoppers should compare the product name, package size, UPC, lot code, and date before deciding whether their bag is affected.
Anyone who has the recalled Great Value product should not eat it, according to both the FDA and the CDC’s updated frozen blueberry alert. Consumers can throw the berries away or return them to Walmart for a full refund. The CDC also recommends washing items and surfaces that may have touched recalled berries with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.
The CDC says Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections commonly cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that can become bloody, and vomiting. Symptoms generally begin about three to four days after exposure, and many people recover within five to seven days. Some infections can become more serious and lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a kidney complication that may require hospitalization.
The latest warning also arrives during a stretch of frozen fruit-related recalls. On August 18, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream voluntarily recalled select Outshine Fruit Bars after reports that some products could contain glass, according to a separate FDA recall announcement.
That frozen fruit recall covered specific batches of Outshine Strawberry, Watermelon, Grape, Tangerine and Black Cherry six-count fruit bars, along with certain Outshine 24-count variety packs. The FDA said the affected products had been distributed to retailers nationwide. Dreyer’s initiated the action after consumer reports of glass in the products, and no illnesses or injuries had been reported when the company announced the recall.
The Outshine recall is separate from the Walmart berry recall and involves a different safety concern, but both cases highlight why consumers should pay attention to frozen products even when they have been sitting in the freezer for some time.
For the Great Value berries, regulators are continuing to investigate an outbreak tied to frozen blueberries while urging consumers to look for the specific recalled product before serving frozen fruit from their freezers. Because the affected Great Value Triple Berry Blend carries a date extending into 2028, the recalled bags could remain in homes long after they disappeared from store shelves.
