Oregon Potato Company LLC’s recall of around 55,689 pounds of frozen blueberries from four states has been designated a Class I recall, which may even result in death, the Food and Drug Administration said in a Feb. 24 update.
Class I is the highest among the three recall classifications designated by the FDA. It is issued when “there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,” according to the agency.
The recall, first issued on Feb. 12, was made citing the risk of Listeria monocytogenes bacterial contamination in the products.
The recalled items are “packaged in polyethylene bag within a corrugated 30lbs. case or packaged in polyethylene liner within a Gaylord 1400lbs. tote,” the FDA said.
The items were distributed in Michigan, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as in Canada. The product was not sold to customers via retail stores.
The 30 lbs. cases have lot codes 2055 B2 with an expiration date of July 23, 2027, and 2065 B1 and 2065 B3 with expiration dates of July 24, 2027.
For the 1,400 lbs, containers, lot codes 3305 A1 and 3305 B1 are being recalled, both of which have an expiration date of Nov. 25, 2027.
The Epoch Times reached out to Oregon Potato Company for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.
According to a January 2025 post by the FDA, Listeria monocytogenes is typically transmitted when food is harvested, processed, packaged, transported, or stored in a facility contaminated with the bacteria.
Among humans, bacteria cause Listeriosis, an infection that can be dangerous to vulnerable groups. People most at risk of serious and adverse effects of Listeriosis are pregnant women and their newborn or unborn babies, people with weakened immune systems, and adults aged 65 and above.
“If a pregnant woman becomes infected with L. monocytogenes, the bacteria can cross into the placenta and infect their unborn baby, whose immune system is not fully developed and is unable to fight off the infection,” according to the agency.
“Babies born with a listeriosis infection may develop severe health complications that require immediate medical attention. The infection can lead to lifelong health problems or result in death.”
Every year, roughly one in 25,000 pregnant women in the United States gets infected with Listeria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a Sept. 24 report.
Among older adults, Listeria infections occur as the immune system struggles to identify and remove harmful germs. Older adults who get infected almost always end up getting hospitalized. One out of every six older adults with the infection dies.
As for people with weakened immunity, these are the individuals “most likely to get a Listeria infection,” CDC said. “That is because your immune system isn’t as able to recognize and get rid of harmful germs, including Listeria.”
“People with a weakened immune system make up 75 percent of all people with Listeria infection. Infection almost always leads to hospitalization. Sadly, 1 in 6 people in this group with Listeria infection die.”
According to a Feb. 5 report from advocacy group Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), there were 320 food recall announcements in 2025. Listeria alone accounted for more than 16 percent of total recalls.
There were 28 foodborne outbreaks in 2025, with Listeria as the leading cause of death. Listeria was the source of 21 out of the 22 deaths recorded in the outbreaks, the report said.
Listeria was responsible for eight outbreaks last year, resulting in 183 illnesses, according to the report.