Trader Joe's pulled a lot of frozen Organic Mixed Berry Blend from its Providence Marketplace store and other Tennessee locations Friday, Oct. 2, over possible E. coli contamination.
The 12-ounce bags may contain frozen blueberries from Chilean supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., which expanded a recall first issued during a now-closed federal E. coli investigation, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The strain involved, E. coli O145:H28, is a Shiga toxin-producing bacteria.
Because the bags carry a "Best Before" date of Feb. 20, 2028, they could still be sitting in home freezers.
What to look for
Three codes printed on the package identify the recalled lot:
- Best Before: 02/20/2028
- Lot code: CF 6 051 01-5
- Origin: Product of Chile
Bags with any different date or lot code are not part of the recall, Trader Joe's said in its recall notice. The product's SKU is 97765 and its UPC is 00977654.
Who is at risk
The recalled bags shipped to stores in 26 states and Washington, D.C. Tennessee is on the list.
Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that may be bloody, fever, nausea and vomiting, according to the FDA. They can appear anywhere from a few days to nine days after eating contaminated food.
Most healthy people recover within a week. But the infection can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious kidney complication, especially in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
No illnesses tied to this specific Trader Joe's product have been reported. The broader outbreak, first linked to frozen blueberries sold at Publix stores, sickened 17 people in Florida and Georgia between May 11 and Aug. 2, U.S. News reported.
Six were hospitalized. No one died. The FDA and CDC declared the outbreak over on Sept. 21.
Why the recall expanded
Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., based in San Carlos, Chile, first recalled frozen organic blueberries in July 2026. It expanded the recall in September and again Friday, Oct. 2, when the Trader Joe's product was added.
The FDA said the latest expansion followed new information from an onsite foreign inspection. The agency noted the firm had not previously provided all records investigators requested.
The FDA has placed the supplier's frozen blueberries on Import Alert 99-35, meaning shipments may be detained at the U.S. border.
What shoppers should do
Customers who have the recalled bags should not eat them. They can return the product to any Trader Joe's for a full refund or throw it away.
Anyone who ate the recalled berries and has symptoms should contact a healthcare provider, the FDA said.
Trader Joe's Customer Relations can be reached at (626) 599-3817, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time.
