This is a short one, and a good one — the outbreak we've followed longer than any other in this series has finally closed. FDA and CDC also gave us a real number on the Salmonella Newport outbreak that still has no named source, and a seasoning recall quietly wrapped up without much fanfare. Nothing here needs you to check your fridge except the usual reminder below.

Closed

Frozen Blueberries E. coli Outbreak Is Officially Over

Frozen blueberries spilling out of an open plastic bag onto a wooden kitchen counter
Frozen organic blueberries were at the center of this outbreak — the kind of product that sits in a freezer for months, which is why FDA is still flagging some "best by" dates into 2028.

We first picked this one up back in Part 2: a multistate E. coli O145:H28 outbreak traced to organic frozen blueberries from Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. of San Carlos, Chile. As of September 21, 2026, CDC has declared the outbreak over, and FDA's investigation is complete. Final numbers: 17 people sick across Florida and Georgia, illnesses dated May 11 through August 2, 6 hospitalizations, and no deaths.

The case count never actually grew past 17 in the month-plus we tracked it — what changed over time was the recall itself. It started with one lot of Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend (Walmart), then expanded in July to include GreenWise-brand organic blueberries and mixed berries (Publix), after Publix's own testing turned up the same outbreak strain in a sample. FDA's own product samples all came back negative, but that Publix sample was enough to confirm the link. FDA has also added the Chilean supplier to Import Alert 99-35, meaning future shipments from that grower can be detained at the border without physical inspection.

If you still have either brand in your freezer — Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend or GreenWise Organic Blueberries/Mixed Berries — it's worth a check even now. Some recalled product carries "best by" dates as far out as 2028, so it can outlast the news cycle by years. Recalled product should already be off shelves; this is purely a "check what's already in your freezer" note, not a new alert.

Updated

Holding Steady

The Salmonella Newport outbreak that FDA still can't name a food source for keeps climbing — it was at 97 illnesses when we last checked in Part 7, and it's now over 100, sitting at roughly 109–111 illnesses depending on the source, with traceback still underway. There's nothing to check in your kitchen for this one yet since no product has been named; I'll keep watching and give it a proper write-up the moment FDA identifies an actual food.

Separately, a smaller recall closed out with little notice: Adams Extract & Spice, LLC recalled five seasoning blends (Smoked Sausage Spice, JB Chicken Sknls, EC Hot Links Seasoning, Coopers BBQ Bean Mix, and Johnny's Salad and Pasta Elegance) over an undeclared sesame allergen — sesame became a federally recognized major allergen in 2023, and these labels hadn't caught up. FDA classified the bulk-sized packages as Class I, its highest risk category, though the smaller consumer bottles were Class II. No illnesses were reported, and as of September 8, FDA confirmed the company had retrieved and impounded all recoverable product. This one's here for the record, same as the eggs and romaine lettuce closures back in Part 4 — not because it needs any action from you.

↳ That's everything as of today — check the blog for whatever comes next.