A recall of frozen organic berries linked to E. coli now covers products sold at Trader Joe's and Walmart stores across Ohio.

Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., a Chilean produce company, expanded the recall Friday, Oct. 2, adding Trader Joe's Organic Mixed Berry Blend and additional lots of Great Value frozen berries, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The expansion is the third since the original July 3 recall, which covered GreenWise-brand blueberries at Publix stores.

Because the recalled bags carry best-by dates stretching into 2028, affected products could still be sitting in home freezers months after purchase.

What's recalled

Three products are covered in the Oct. 2 expansion:

• Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend, 10 oz (strawberries, blackberries and blueberries). UPC 7874211226. Lot codes 6 031 01 and 6 041 01, printed on the front of the package. Best-if-used-by dates: Jan. 31, 2028, and Feb. 10, 2028.
• Great Value Organic Blueberries, 10 oz. UPC 7874211213. Lot codes 6 019 01, 6 040 01 and 6 163 01, printed on the front. Best-if-used-by dates: Jan. 19, 2028; Feb. 9, 2028; and June 12, 2028.
• Trader Joe's Organic Mixed Berry Blend, 12 oz (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries). UPC 00977654. Lot code 6 051 01, printed on the back of the package. Best-before date: Feb. 20, 2028.

The Great Value products were shipped to Walmart stores in 30 states including Ohio. The Trader Joe's blend went to stores in 26 states including Ohio, as first reported by WLWT. Fox 19 reported the Trader Joe's blend contains strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries and was sold in 12-ounce packages.

What to do

Consumers should not eat the recalled products, according to the FDA's recall notice. Shoppers can throw the bags away or return them to Walmart or Trader Joe's for a full refund.

Anyone with questions can contact the company's media representative, Joshua Weiss, at [email protected] or 336-899-5612, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time.

The outbreak behind the recall

The recall traces to an E. coli O145:H28 outbreak the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared over on Sept. 21. Seventeen people in Florida and Georgia were infected between May 11 and Aug. 2, according to the FDA's outbreak investigation page. Six were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.

Of 13 patients interviewed, 11 reported eating frozen blueberries.

E. coli O145 is a Shiga toxin-producing strain that can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Most healthy people recover within a week, but young children, older adults and those with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious kidney complication.

The FDA has placed products from Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur on Import Alert 99-35, meaning the company's frozen blueberries may be detained at the U.S. border without physical examination.