RECALL: FDA puts out warning on frozen fruit contaminated with Listeria
Oregon Potato Company LLC, operating as Willamette Valley Fruit Company in Salem, Oregon, has issued a major voluntary recall of 55,689 pounds of individually quick-frozen blueberries over potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause life-threatening listeriosis.
The FDA upgraded the recall to its highest-risk Class I classification on February 24—indicating a “reasonable probability” of serious adverse health consequences or death—after the company initiated the action on February 12. Affected products include 30-pound cases in polyethylene bags (lot codes 2055 B2, 2065 B1, and 2065 B3, with “best by” dates of July 23–24, 2027) and 1,400-pound Gaylord totes (lot codes 3305 A1 and 3305 B1, expiring November 25, 2027).
The blueberries were not sold directly to retail consumers but distributed through the commercial supply chain. The product reached businesses in Michigan, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as customers throughout Canada. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall. The FDA and the company are urging anyone who may have received the affected blueberries in commercial or food-service settings to immediately check their inventory, stop using or distributing the product, and destroy it or return it to the supplier.
Listeria is particularly dangerous because it can survive freezing temperatures and grow even in refrigerated conditions, posing heightened risks to pregnant women (who may suffer miscarriage or stillbirth), newborns, the elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Frozen produce recalls for Listeria have become increasingly common in recent years because the pathogen thrives in moist processing environments and is not killed by freezing. Similar high-profile actions have included 2023 recalls of frozen fruit mixes from Sunrise Growers and Townsend Farms linked to third-party suppliers.
Oregon Potato Company, a family-owned business founded decades ago that primarily processes potatoes but also handles a range of frozen vegetables and fruits, has not issued a public statement beyond the FDA notice. The incident underscores ongoing challenges in the frozen-fruit supply chain, where rapid distribution across state and international lines can amplify risks before contamination is detected through routine testing.
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Consumers who purchased frozen blueberries from food-service or wholesale sources in the affected states or Canada in recent months should verify lot codes against the FDA enforcement report (recall number H-0522-2026).
Anyone concerned about possible exposure is advised to consult a healthcare provider, especially if symptoms develop. The recall remains active as the company works with regulators to ensure all affected product is removed from circulation.