Frozen Berry E. coli Recall Expands to Trader Joe's

On October 2, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an expanded recall announced the same day by Chilean processor Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. The company widened its recall of frozen organic berries to include additional production lots sold under Walmart's Great Value label and, for the first time, one lot sold at Trader Joe's due to potential contamination with Escherichia coli O145:H28. The expansion came less than two weeks after the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the linked multistate outbreak over on September 21, 2026. Because these frozen retail products carry Best By dates stretching well into 2028, consumers should verify physical lot codes stamped on their packages immediately.

Key takeaways

• On October 2, 2026, Chilean exporter Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. expanded its recall to cover additional lots of Great Value frozen organic blueberries and triple berry blend, plus one lot of Trader Joe's frozen Organic Mixed Berry Blend.
• The company calls the expansion a precautionary measure following traceback information linked to the frozen blueberries recalled on July 3, 2026, during an outbreak of E. coli O145:H28.
• Recalled Great Value packages reached retail stores across 30 states and Puerto Rico, while the affected Trader Joe's product reached locations in 26 states and Washington, D.C.
• Stamped Best By dates extend into early and mid-2028, meaning consumers may unknowingly keep the recalled fruit in home freezers for months or years.
• The notice does not report any illnesses linked to the newly added lots; it tells consumers to discard the berries or return them for a full refund.

What happened

On October 2, 2026, Chilean supplier Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., based in San Carlos, Chile, expanded its recall of frozen organic berry items. The FDA posted the notice the same day. This announcement followed earlier recalls initiated on July 3, 2026, and early September 2026 involving individually quick frozen (IQF) organic blueberries and berry medleys. The latest expansion incorporates additional lots of Walmart private-label Great Value fruit alongside a specific production lot distributed to Trader Joe's stores.

Federal health authorities previously investigated an outbreak of Escherichia coli O145:H28 connected to frozen organic blueberries sourced from this Chilean firm. On September 21, 2026, the CDC declared the outbreak over and the FDA said its investigation was complete. The outbreak counted 17 illnesses, 6 hospitalizations and no deaths in Florida and Georgia. The FDA also added products from the Chilean firm to Import Alert 99-35, so its frozen blueberries offered for entry into the United States may be detained without physical examination.

The October 2 notice does not explain how the additional lots were identified beyond saying the action follows "traceback information linked to frozen blueberries which were the subject of the first recall on July 3, 2026."

What changed

The October 2, 2026 notice adds more lots of two Walmart Great Value products, one of which (the Triple Berry Blend) was already part of the September expansion, and brings Trader Joe's into the recall for the first time with one lot of its Organic Mixed Berry Blend.

The specific products, package sizes, UPC barcodes, lot codes, and stamped expiration dates detailed in the October 2, 2026 notice include:

• Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend, 10 OZ (blend of strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries): UPC barcode 7874211226, lot codes 6 031 01 and 6 041 01 stamped on the front of the pouch, with Best If Used By dates of January 31, 2028, and February 10, 2028.
• Great Value Organic Blueberries, 10 OZ: UPC barcode 7874211213, lot codes 6 019 01, 6 040 01, and 6 163 01 stamped on the front of the pouch, with Best If Used By dates of January 19, 2028; February 9, 2028; and June 12, 2028.
• Trader Joe's Organic Mixed Berry Blend, 12 OZ: UPC barcode 00977654, lot code 6 051 01 printed on the back of the package, with a Best Before date of February 20, 2028.

The notice does not say that any of the newly recalled bags tested positive for E. coli O145. The company describes the expansion as a precautionary measure based on traceback information.

Who is affected

The recalled lots were distributed widely. Because the bags carry best-by dates in 2028, they may still be sitting in home freezers.

The Great Value lots reached Walmart stores in 30 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia, as well as Puerto Rico.

The Trader Joe's lot was distributed to select store locations across 26 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin, plus Washington, D.C.

The FDA release did not provide a granular store-by-store distribution list, nor did it state the exact aggregate weight or case count of fruit included in this recall wave.

What it means for shoppers

Frozen berries present distinct risks in home kitchens because they are rarely cooked before consumption. Consumers routinely dump frozen blueberries and berry blends directly into blenders for morning smoothies, scatter them over yogurt, or fold them into overnight oats. Freezing does not reliably kill bacteria such as E. coli, which is why the recall says to discard or return the product rather than eat it.

Shoppers should inspect their freezers rather than assuming their groceries are safe based on brand alone. Not all Great Value or Trader Joe's berries are recalled. Check the front panel of Great Value bags for the stamped lot numbers 6 031 01, 6 041 01, 6 019 01, 6 040 01, or 6 163 01. On Trader Joe's 12-ounce pouches, check the back panel for lot number 6 051 01.

According to the recall notice, E. coli O145 can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which may be bloody) and vomiting. Most healthy people recover within a week, but some infections lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), particularly in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. The FDA's outbreak page describes HUS as a type of kidney failure and says symptoms can begin a few days after eating contaminated food or up to nine days later.

If you find an affected bag, do not eat the fruit. Throw it away or return it to Walmart or Trader Joe's for a full refund.

The background

The recalls began on July 3, 2026, when Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. recalled one lot of frozen GreenWise-brand organic blueberries sold at Publix. According to the FDA, Publix had tested samples of its GreenWise-brand frozen blueberries, and one sample was positive for the same E. coli strain that made people sick.

The scope expanded in early September 2026. The FDA outbreak portal recorded an expansion to include Great Value Frozen Organic Triple Berry Blend on September 2, 2026, followed by an administrative clarification on September 11, 2026. The company's subsequent public statements dated that prior expansion to September 3, 2026, reflecting a minor timeline reporting divergence between regulator logs and corporate notices.

On September 21, 2026, the CDC declared the outbreak over, with 17 illnesses, 6 hospitalizations and no deaths.

We covered the outbreak's end in Frozen Berry E. coli Outbreak Over; Chilean Supplier on Import Alert. For another recent E. coli recall, see Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds Recalled in E. coli Outbreak.

What to watch next

Neither the FDA nor the CDC has said it will reopen the outbreak investigation, and the October 2 notice does not link any illnesses to the newly identified lots.

What remains unknown:

• Volume: The notice does not say how many bags or pounds the expansion covers, or which individual stores received them.
• Testing: The notice does not report any positive tests on the newly added lots.
• Dates: The company's notice dates the earlier expansion September 3, 2026, while the FDA outbreak page lists September 2, 2026.