By admin 
The war against gastrointestinal illnesses hasn’t ended for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this summer.
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After a breakout of salmonella and cyclospora, the government agency is now dealing with an E. coli outbreak that has made its way to South Carolina and several other states.
Last month, Publix recalled thousands of frozen blueberries and mixed berries in eight states in the Southeast due to possible E. coli contamination. These states were Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
The organic frozen berries came from Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., of San Carlos, Chile, according to the FDA.
In an update on Tuesday, the group has upgraded the recall and issued its most serious warning on the berries: a Class 1 FDA recall. It means that there’s a reasonable chance that consuming the recalled product will cause severe harm to health or death.
Here’s everything to know:
Which products were recalled?
Organic frozen mixed berries from GreenWise were the only products recalled from this outbreak. The recall went into effect on July 3, and while there should be no more access to the berries, Publix wants to ensure that no one buys or consumes the following items:
- GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06453
- GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12053
- GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06753
- GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12153
Check your freezer to see if you have purchased any of these items. If you have, discard them or return them to Publix for a full refund.
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What is E. coli and its symptoms?
Escherichia coli is a bacterium found in food and in the intestines of people and animals, and while most strains of it are harmless, some can make you very ill.
The type of E. coli that is tied to this current outbreak is known as E. coli O145:H28, which can cause illness characterized by severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which may be bloody) and vomiting, according to the FDA.
While most healthy individuals recover within a week, some infections may result in a serious complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), particularly in young children, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems.
The symptoms associated with this are much more serious and can lead to permanent health problems, kidney failure, and even death.
As of July 30, no deaths have been reported, but there have been at least 12 illnesses in Florida and Georgia, as well as four hospitalizations. The illnesses started between May 11 and June 5, according to the FDA, which said its investigation was ongoing.
How to protect yourself
As long as you haven’t purchased any of the previously mentioned GreenWise frozen berry products recently, there is little to worry about.
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Out of precautions, make sure to follow these FDA recommendations:
- Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled GreenWise Organic Frozen Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries
- Check your freezers for recalled berries and throw them away or return the product to the place of purchase. If you froze a product without the original packaging and can’t tell if it’s part of the recall, throw it away
- Consumers, restaurants, retailers, and foodservice customers who purchased or received recalled berries, including wholesale products, should carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that it touched
- Consult your health care provider immediately if you ate recalled GreenWise Organic Frozen Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries and have any symptoms that resemble an E. coli infection