Life-threatening blueberry recall upgraded to FDA’s highest risk level… ‘reasonable probability of death’

A recall of multiple containers of blueberries sold in the US has been upgraded to the FDA’s highest risk level, indicating ‘there is a reasonable probability… of death’ if the berries are consumed.

Oregon Potato Company issued a recall of 55,689 pounds of blueberries on February 12 and the FDA upgraded it to Class I on Tuesday.

A Class I recall indicates ‘a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.’

The recall was issued because the blueberries may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes the illness listeriosis, a potentially severe foodborne illness. 

Listeria infections often begin with flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, nausea, and headache, but for vulnerable groups, the illness can be deadly.

Pregnant women face miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening complications for their newborns. Older adults and immunocompromised individuals may experience severe neurological effects, including confusion, seizures, and even death.

While healthy adults usually recover, the elderly are at much higher risk of fatal outcomes due to age-related immune decline.

The cases and containers of blueberries were sold in four states: Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Michigan. 

The recall applies to 30-pound cases and 1,400-pound totes. 

The berries are packaged in a polyethylene bag within a corrugated 30-pound case or packaged in polyethylene liner within a Gaylord 1,400-pound tote. 

Lot codes on the 30-pound cases are: 2055 B2, 2065 B1, and 2065 B3. Lot codes on 1,400-pound totes are: 3305 A1 and 3305 B1. 

Expiration dates or best-by dates on all the cases and totes range from July 2027 to November 2027.

The blueberries were not sold at retail stores but were distributed to customers in the four affected states. 

Around 90 percent of people with listeriosis require hospitalization, while 20 to 30 percent of patients die. The CDC estimates that of 1,600 cases every year, roughly 260 do not survive. 

Blueberries can become contaminated with listeria if exposed to animal manure, contaminated soil or contaminated water. 

Blueberries are generally considered low-risk for harboring Listeria due to their low pH environment, and outbreaks linked to blueberries are rare.

However, in 2025, the FDA upgraded a separate, similar blueberry Class I recall.

The recall applied to potentially listeria-contaminated blueberries from Alma Pak International LLC, a produce packing facility based in Georgia.

Four hundred boxes of blueberries – totaling 12,000 pounds – were shipped to a single customer in North Carolina, but it was unclear whether they were distributed elsewhere afterward.

No illnesses or injuries have been reported in connection to either recall.