A single Chilean blueberry supplier has now generated three separate U.S. product recalls across two grocery chains since early July, and federal regulators have placed its frozen blueberries on an import alert that allows shipments to be held at the border without physical testing. The pattern is what makes this story different from a routine recall notice, because it shows how long contaminated imported fruit can keep surfacing after the first illness is detected.
The outbreak strain of E. coli O145:H28 has now been confirmed in 17 people, with six hospitalizations and no deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. FDA lists the cases in Florida and Georgia. Illnesses began as early as May 11, and the most recent onset recorded on the federal advisory falls in the first week of August. That is a span of nearly three months during which product from the same source stayed in circulation.
