Life-threatening Listeria risk prompts massive frozen blueberry recall across multiple states

Federal regulators have announced a recall of 55,000 pounds of frozen blueberries over potential Listeria contamination that could pose a life-threatening risk.

Oregon Potato Company — a family-owned business in Salem specializing in frozen and dehydrated potatoes, vegetables, and fruits — has flagged 55,689 pounds of individually quick-frozen blueberries, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

While the notice was made on Feb. 12, regulators on Tuesday upgraded it to a Class 1 recall, with officials warning that exposure to the potential Listeria monocytogenes "could cause serious adverse health consequences or death."

The product was distributed across several U.S. states, including Michigan, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as throughout Canada. 

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The product was not sold directly to consumers in retail stores but instead moved between businesses within the supply chain, the FDA said.  

The recall, which was initiated via email, remains ongoing.

The affected items include 30-pound cases with expiration dates from July 23, 2027, to July 24, 2027, bearing lot codes 2055 B2, 2065 B1, and 2065 B3. They are packaged in polyethylene bags within corrugated cases, a specialized dual-layered design.  

Regulators stated that 1,400-pound totes were also affected, with lot codes 3305 A1 and 3305 B1, both expiring on Nov. 25, 2027. The product is packaged in polyethylene liners within Gaylord totes, which are heavy-duty, industrial-grade plastic bags placed in large bulk-shipping containers.

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L. monocytogenes is generally transmitted where food is harvested and processed in manufacturing or production environments.

Listeria monocytogenesis is a disease-causing bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, leading to symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.

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While healthy adults rarely become seriously ill from a Listeria infection, the disease can cause severe—and sometimes fatal—symptoms in unborn babies, newborns, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.