About the Recalled Product
The recalled product is Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend, sold in 12-ounce packages bearing lot code 6 051 01 on the back of the package and a best-by date of February 20, 2028. The product was sold at Trader Joe’s locations across 26 states and the District of Columbia: 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.
Latest Updates
The FDA’s outbreak investigation into E. coli O145:H28 linked to frozen blueberries was first initiated in July 2026 after the Florida Department of Health notified the CDC of a cluster of cases [1]. The investigation identified Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. of San Carlos, Chile, as the common supplier; the recall expanded on October 5, 2026, to include the Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend alongside previously recalled Publix GreenWise and Walmart Great Value products [2]. The CDC declared the outbreak over on September 21, 2026, with 17 confirmed illnesses, 6 hospitalizations, and no deaths [3].
A Single Chilean Supplier Behind Multiple Retail Brand Recalls
The common thread running through every product implicated in this outbreak is Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., a frozen fruit producer in San Carlos, Chile, whose blueberries were distributed to multiple U.S. retailers operating under entirely different brand names. A Trader Joe’s customer buying a premium organic berry blend, a Publix shopper selecting a GreenWise product, and a Walmart customer picking up a Great Value bag all received fruit from the same contaminated Chilean facility — with no visible connection between their purchases and no way to know they were all exposed to the same source.
When a single foreign ingredient supplier’s contamination event spreads across multiple domestic retail brands, the liability picture extends beyond any one retailer to encompass the supplier whose product carried the pathogen into commerce and the importers and distributors responsible for verifying its safety before it reached retail shelves.
Outbreak Epidemiology: 17 Sick, 85% Ate Frozen Blueberries
Of the 13 outbreak patients interviewed by investigators, 11 — or 85 percent — reported eating frozen blueberries before becoming ill, a match rate that gave investigators high confidence in the implicated source. All 17 confirmed cases were concentrated in Florida and Georgia, the primary distribution footprint for the earliest recalled products, but the Trader Joe’s recall expanded the known distribution area to 26 states and the District of Columbia, meaning the potential exposure population is far broader than the confirmed case geography alone would suggest.
E. coli O145:H28 in Frozen Organic Berries
E. coli O145:H28 is a Shiga toxin-producing strain — the same broad category as E. coli O157:H7 — capable of causing severe hemorrhagic diarrhea, kidney failure through hemolytic uremic syndrome, and death in serious cases. Frozen berries present a particular E. coli transmission risk because they are frequently consumed after only brief thawing or blended directly into smoothies, meaning the pathogen is never subjected to cooking temperatures that would eliminate it.
The organic designation that typically commands a premium price for products like this blend offers no protection against bacterial contamination at the production or processing level — and may actually create a false sense of safety for consumers who associate “organic” with reduced food safety risk.
Recalled Product Bearing a 2028 Best-By Date Still in Freezers
The Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend carries a best-by date of February 20, 2028 — more than 16 months after the October 2026 recall announcement. Consumers who purchased the product and stored it in a household freezer could hold it for well over a year before its date would prompt disposal, making the recall communication critical for reaching purchasers who would otherwise have no reason to discard an apparently fresh product.
Reported Illnesses
Seventeen people were confirmed ill in the E. coli O145:H28 outbreak linked to the implicated supplier, with six requiring hospitalization. No deaths were reported. The confirmed cases were concentrated in Florida and Georgia, but the Trader Joe’s product’s distribution across 26 states means illness from this specific lot may have occurred in consumers outside the original case geography who were never epidemiologically linked to the outbreak.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
If you developed an E. coli infection after consuming Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend with lot code 6 051 01, you may have product liability claims against Trader Joe’s and Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. Contact an attorney promptly, as state filing deadlines apply.
What to Do Now
Do not eat any Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed Berry Blend bearing lot code 6 051 01 and a best-by date of February 20, 2028 — discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe’s location for a full refund. Visit traderjoes.com for the full recall announcement or check the FDA’s outbreak investigation page for the latest updates.
References
1. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o145h28-frozen-blueberries-july-2026
2. https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/walmart-trader-joes-frozen-berry-recall-expands-after-e-coli-outbreak-sickened-17
3. https://www.wsls.com/news/2026/10/06/frozen-berries-sold-at-walmart-on-growing-recall-list-related-to-multi-state-e-coli-outbreak/