A routine safety check has turned into a major health warning after Alma Pak International LLC’s organic blueberries tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous bacteria that can cause serious illness or death. Originally recalled on June 9, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now upgraded the situation to a Class I recall — its highest level — meaning there’s a real risk that eating the contaminated blueberries could lead to severe health consequences.
The recall affects 400 boxes, each weighing 30 pounds, shipped to a single customer in North Carolina. Consumers should check for Lot numbers 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096.
Listeria is notorious for contaminating a wide range of foods and is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the U.S., responsible for about 260 deaths each year. Even mild infections can be particularly hazardous for pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
The blueberry recall comes on the heels of other worrying listeria-related recalls. Last month, FreshRealm pulled its chicken fettuccine alfredo from Walmart and Kroger shelves nationwide after the product was linked to three deaths, one fetal loss, and 17 illnesses across 13 states. Around the same time, Bornstein Seafoods Inc. recalled over 44,000 pounds of shrimp due to listeria contamination.
In 2024 alone, there were approximately 300 food recalls associated with nearly 1,400 illnesses, a number that doubled the hospitalizations and deaths reported the previous year, according to the Public Interest Research Group.
Consumers are urged to stay alert, check recall notices, and when in doubt, throw it out — listeria can be deadly.
