GreenWise Frozen Berry Recall: Current Facts for Alabama
Updated: Oct 6
Reviewed and updated October 6, 2026.
The GreenWise frozen-blueberry recall began with one lot. It did not end there.
Publix later recalled every lot of four GreenWise frozen-berry products. Federal investigators ultimately connected the wider frozen-blueberry outbreak to 17 illnesses and six hospitalizations. The outbreak is over, but some affected products have dates ending in 2028, and FDA announced another recall expansion on October 2, 2026.
Alabama is part of this record for a concrete reason: FDA confirms that recalled GreenWise products were shipped to Publix stores in Alabama.
The GreenWise products
Publix’s July 29 recall covered all lots of:
GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10 ounces, UPC 41415-06453;
GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 48 ounces, UPC 41415-12053;
GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10 ounces, UPC 41415-06753; and
GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48 ounces, UPC 41415-12153.
The Publix recall notice posted by FDA says the products went to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Publix had already placed an internal stop-sale on the products by the end of June.
FDA now labels the Publix recall completed and terminated. In recall terminology, that means FDA determined that the recall strategy and product disposition were completed. It does not make a matching package in a home freezer safe to eat.
The outbreak and later recall expansions
FDA’s current frozen-blueberry investigation page reports:
17 illnesses in Florida and Georgia;
six hospitalizations;
no deaths; and
illness onsets from May through August 2026.
Publix testing found the outbreak strain of E. coli O145:H28 in one GreenWise frozen-blueberry sample. FDA says 11 of 13 interviewed patients reported eating frozen blueberries.
The product investigation later moved beyond GreenWise. Recalls expanded to specified Great Value and Trader Joe’s frozen-berry products supplied by the same Chilean firm, Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. On October 2, the supplier added more lots of Great Value frozen organic blueberries, Great Value organic triple-berry blend, and one lot of Trader Joe’s organic mixed-berry blend. FDA’s October 5 update says those products have best-by dates through June 2028.
This page focuses on GreenWise because that product had confirmed Alabama distribution. A consumer with another frozen-berry brand should still use FDA’s live product list before deciding that a package is unaffected.
What is confirmed—and what is not
The federal record confirms that:
the outbreak strain was E. coli O145:H28;
GreenWise products were shipped to Alabama;
one GreenWise sample tested positive for the outbreak strain;
17 illnesses were reported in two states;
six people were hospitalized; and
the outbreak was declared over on September 21, 2026.
The record does not identify a confirmed Alabama illness. Distribution and injury are different facts. Proof that a product reached Alabama does not establish that a particular Alabama consumer bought a recalled package, ate contaminated berries, or developed an illness from them.
FDA also states that the supplier did not initially provide all records the agency requested voluntarily during an onsite foreign inspection. The later product expansions followed information FDA investigators obtained during that work. FDA placed the firm’s frozen blueberries on an import alert, allowing detention without physical examination when the product is offered for entry into the United States.
What Alabama consumers should do
Frozen products remain in homes longer than fresh food. Do not rely only on the date of the original announcement.
Check frozen blueberries and mixed berries for the brand, package size, UPC, lot code, and best-by date.
Compare the package with FDA’s current product table and linked recall notices.
Do not eat a recalled product. Discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund, following the recall notice.
If berries were removed from their original package and cannot be identified, follow FDA’s current precautionary instructions rather than guess.
Contact a health professional if symptoms developed after eating a recalled product. Tell the provider the product and recall involved.
FDA identifies symptoms that can include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Some infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition involving the kidneys. This article does not diagnose an illness; urgent medical concerns should be addressed promptly.
Preserve the product record
If an illness may be connected to recalled berries, keep the information that distinguishes one package from another:
photographs of the front and back of the package;
the UPC, lot code, and best-by date;
a receipt, loyalty-account record, delivery confirmation, or bank entry;
the dates the product was eaten and symptoms began; and
medical testing and treatment records.
Do not delay treatment to collect evidence. Do not send medical records or sensitive identifiers through an initial website form.
A recall is evidence, not an automatic result
The recall and outbreak findings can be important. An individual claim may still require proof of the product, exposure, diagnosis, timing, causation, responsible parties, and damages. The supplier, importer, private-label retailer, and other participants in the distribution chain may have different roles that must be established from records.
Read Dangerous Objects or Contaminants in Restaurant Food for evidence-preservation guidance and Product Liability and the AEMLD in Alabama for a broader legal overview.
Frequently asked questions
Is the outbreak over?
Yes. CDC declared the outbreak over on September 21, 2026. FDA nevertheless announced an additional recall expansion on October 2 because more potentially affected frozen-berry products were identified.
Were all GreenWise frozen blueberries recalled?
Publix recalled all lots of the four GreenWise frozen products listed above, covering whole blueberries and mixed berries in 10- and 48-ounce packages.
Did the recall reach Alabama?
Yes. FDA identifies Alabama as a state that received the recalled GreenWise products and includes Alabama in the broader distribution list.
Was an Alabama illness confirmed?
No Alabama illness appears in FDA’s final case count. The 17 reported illnesses were in Florida and Georgia.
Why check a freezer now?
Some recalled frozen products have dates extending into 2028. A product can remain in a home long after it leaves a store shelf.
Primary sources
Discuss an Alabama food-injury matter
If an Alabama consumer was diagnosed with a serious illness after eating recalled frozen berries, the Law Offices of Elliott Owen Lipinsky can review the facts and explain a practical next step. Call (334) 230-7986 or request a free case review.
This article provides general information, not legal or medical advice. Recall information can change; use the linked FDA pages for current product instructions. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Representation begins only after the firm accepts a matter in writing. Do not send medical records, confidential information, or time-critical material through a website form.
