Breaking: Alma Issues Urgent Recall of 12,000 Pounds Blueberries Over Listeria Risk

Overview of Alma Issues

Alma Issues: Alma is at the center of a serious food safety alert as the FDA has escalated the recall of 12,000 pounds of organic blueberries to Class I, the most serious level for potential health threats. This urgent action indicates there is a “reasonable probability” that consuming these blueberries could cause serious adverse health consequences or even death. We are closely monitoring this situation that affects consumers in North Carolina, where all the potentially contaminated berries were shipped.

The recall was initiated after routine testing by Alma Pak revealed positive results for Listeria monocytogenes in their finished product. Subsequently, the Food and Drug Administration classified this as their highest risk level recall. This classification is particularly concerning because it represents the most severe category of product recalls, reserved for situations that pose imminent danger to consumers.

Listeria contamination presents significant health risks, especially for vulnerable populations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States, with approximately 1,600 people infected and about 260 deaths occurring each year. During this developing situation, we urge consumers to check their freezers and refrigerators for potentially affected blueberries to protect themselves and their families from this serious health threat.

FDA Classifies Blueberry Recall as Class I Risk

The Food and Drug Administration has elevated Alma Pak’s blueberry recall to its highest risk classification on Tuesday, July 1, signaling increased concerns about the safety of these products. This major development comes after the company’s initial voluntary recall issued on June 9.

What is a Class I recall and why it matters

A Class I recall represents the most severe category in the FDA’s classification system. As defined by the FDA, it indicates “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death”. This classification is reserved for the most dangerous product issues that pose imminent health threats to consumers.

Unlike Class II recalls (which involve temporary health issues) or Class III recalls (which are unlikely to cause harm), Class I recalls demand immediate action. Furthermore, the FDA closely oversees the recall process for Class I situations to ensure manufacturers take sufficient steps to protect public health.

Timeline: From voluntary recall to FDA escalation

The recall sequence unfolded as follows:

  • June 9, 2025: Alma Pak International LLC initiated a voluntary recall of 400 boxes of organic blueberries, each weighing 30 pounds (12,000 pounds total).
  • July 1, 2025: The FDA elevated the recall to Class I status after assessment of the contamination risk.

Initially, the recall began when routine testing at Alma Pak’s facility detected Listeria monocytogenes in their finished product. Following this discovery, the company promptly issued the voluntary recall before the FDA’s subsequent classification raised the alert level to its highest designation.

fda blueberry recall listeria

Alma Pak’s official statement on the recall

In response to the situation, Alma Pak International provided a statement asserting that “the affected product was fully recovered prior to reaching the retail market”. The company emphasized that “no product was sold to consumers, and there was no risk to public health”.

The Georgia-based firm also noted they “worked in close coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and an independent food safety consultant to conduct a thorough investigation”. Moreover, Alma expressed their commitment to “the highest standards of food safety, transparency, and continuous improvement”.

Despite these assurances, the FDA maintains its Class I classification, highlighting the potential seriousness of the contamination had the product reached consumers.

Contaminated Blueberries Shipped to North Carolina

The contaminated organic blueberries from Alma Pak have been traced specifically to North Carolina, raising concerns for consumers throughout the state. The shipment details reveal a significant quantity of potentially dangerous products that officials are currently tracking.

Lot numbers 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096 identified

The affected organic blueberries can be identified by two specific lot numbers: 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096. These identifying codes appear on all packaging containing the potentially contaminated product. Specifically, these lot numbers are critical for distributors, retailers, and consumers to recognize potentially dangerous products. The recall has been assigned the official FDA tracking number H-0204-2025, which authorities are using to monitor the recall’s progress and effectiveness.

How many boxes were shipped and to whom

Altogether, Alma Pak International shipped 400 boxes of the contaminated organic blueberries. Each box weighs approximately 30 pounds, bringing the total weight of recalled product to 12,000 pounds. The Georgia-based company distributed these blueberries to a single customer located in North Carolina. Notably, this sizeable shipment originated from Alma Pak’s facilities in Georgia and was identified as contaminated through routine testing that detected Listeria monocytogenes in the finished product.

Uncertainty around final retail distribution

Currently, a significant concern remains regarding where these blueberries ultimately ended up. While officials confirm the initial shipment went to one North Carolina customer[93], there is considerable uncertainty about subsequent distribution. In fact, it remains unclear how many retail stores may have received the blueberries after the initial purchase. The FDA recall notice specifically noted that “it is not entirely clear whether the blueberries were distributed after the original sale”. This uncertainty complicates efforts to trace all potentially contaminated products and notify consumers who might have purchased them.

Nevertheless, Alma Pak International has claimed in a statement that “the affected product was fully recovered prior to reaching the retail market”. The company maintains that “no product was sold to consumers, and there was no risk to public health”, though the FDA continues to classify this as a Class I recall.

Listeria Contamination Raises Serious Health Concerns

Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria found in Alma Pak’s blueberries, represents a significant public health concern that extends far beyond a routine product recall.

What is Listeria monocytogenes?

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, gram-positive bacterium that survives in extreme environmental conditions. Unlike many foodborne pathogens, Listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures, making it particularly dangerous in food supply chains. This pathogen’s ability to thrive in cold environments allows it to multiply in refrigerated foods over time, increasing contamination levels even in properly stored products.

Symptoms and risks for vulnerable populations

Listeriosis presents differently depending on the severity and form of illness. Healthy adults typically experience milder symptoms including fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea lasting 1-3 days. However, invasive listeriosis occurs when bacteria spread beyond the intestines, causing fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

Pregnant women face approximately 20 times higher risk than other healthy adults, with potential consequences including miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening infection in newborns. Additionally, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems face significantly higher risks. Roughly 75% of all Listeria infections occur in immunocompromised individuals.

CDC statistics on listeria-related deaths

Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. Annually, approximately 1,600 Americans become infected with Listeria, resulting in about 260 deaths. The case-fatality rate reaches approximately 20%, with nearly all patients requiring hospitalization. Among older adults with listeriosis, 1 in 6 die from the infection.

How listeria spreads in food supply chains

Listeria contamination can occur at multiple points throughout food production. The bacteria exists naturally in soil, water, animal digestive tracts, and decaying vegetation. It can contaminate foods during harvesting, processing, packaging, or storage. Furthermore, Listeria forms biofilms on equipment surfaces, creating persistent reservoirs resistant to cleaning and disinfection. This characteristic makes Listeria particularly challenging to eliminate from food processing environments.

Recent Food Recalls Highlight Growing Safety Concerns

Food recalls for Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli jumped by 41% across the United States in recent months, indicating Alma’s blueberry recall is part of a concerning trend.

Other recent listeria-related recalls in 2024-2025

Currently, numerous listeria-related recalls affect America’s food supply. In June 2025 alone, Bornstein Seafoods recalled 44,550 pounds of ready-to-eat coldwater shrimp, Hofood99 Inc. withdrew enoki mushrooms nationwide, and Face Rock Creamery recalled garlic cheddar curds sold at Trader Joe’s. Additionally, fresh ready-to-eat sandwiches and snacks from Fresh & Ready Foods were recalled after an outbreak that hospitalized all six people for whom information was available.

How this recall compares to Walmart pasta meal incident

Comparatively, the Alma blueberry recall represents a different situation from the recent Walmart pasta recall. Although both involve listeria, the pasta incident resulted in three deaths and one pregnancy loss among 17 people sickened across 13 states. Fortunately, Alma claims their contaminated product “was fully recovered prior to reaching the retail market”, hence no reported illnesses thus far.

What consumers can do to stay safe

If you discover recalled products at home:

  • Return unopened products to the purchase location for refunds
  • Discard opened products immediately
  • Clean all surfaces, utensils, and containers that contacted recalled items with hot, soapy water
  • Dry with a clean towel to remove remaining bacteria

For fresh produce, rinse under running water while applying pressure with your hands, as this removes more microorganisms. Remember that once cut, products must be refrigerated immediately since bacteria can transfer from the surface to the flesh.

Calls for improved food safety testing protocols

The increasing prevalence of foodborne illnesses underscores the need for advanced testing methods. Food safety testing services are projected to reach nearly USD 20 billion by 2022. Many companies now utilize automated solutions to handle high testing volumes—some labs process 1,000 samples for salmonella daily. Mass spectrometry and next-generation sequencing offer promising advances, allowing rapid identification of contaminant sources. These technologies can detect pathogens at parts-per-billion levels, potentially preventing outbreaks before products reach consumers.

Conclusion

Alma’s urgent recall of 12,000 pounds of organic blueberries represents a significant food safety concern, particularly given the FDA’s Class I classification. This highest-risk designation undoubtedly signals potential serious health consequences from Listeria contamination. Despite Alma Pak’s assurances that all affected products were recovered before reaching retail shelves, consumers throughout North Carolina should still exercise caution.

Listeria’s ability to thrive even in refrigerated environments makes this pathogen especially dangerous, primarily for pregnant women, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems. The bacteria’s lethal potential cannot be overlooked, as evidenced by the approximately 260 deaths it causes annually in the United States.

Additionally, this recall occurs amid a troubling 41% increase in food safety recalls across the country, highlighting broader concerns about our food supply chain. While we wait for more information about potential retail distribution of these blueberries, consumers should check any recently purchased blueberries against the identified lot numbers 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096.

Above all, food safety requires vigilance from both companies and consumers. Anyone discovering potentially contaminated products should return unopened packages for refunds and thoroughly clean any surfaces that contacted opened products. After this and similar recalls, we must continue advocating for improved safety testing protocols throughout the food industry. The increasing sophistication of detection methods offers hope that future contaminations might be caught before products ever leave processing facilities, ultimately protecting more consumers from dangerous foodborne illnesses.

Key Takeaways

The FDA has escalated Alma’s blueberry recall to Class I status, indicating serious health risks that could cause death or severe illness from Listeria contamination.

• FDA classified 12,000 pounds of Alma organic blueberries as Class I recall – the highest risk level for potential death or serious illness • Contaminated blueberries with lot numbers 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096 were shipped exclusively to North Carolina customers • Listeria kills approximately 260 Americans annually and poses extreme danger to pregnant women, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals • Food recalls jumped 41% recently, highlighting growing safety concerns across America’s food supply chain • Consumers should immediately discard any matching lot numbers and thoroughly clean all surfaces that contacted the product

This recall underscores the critical importance of food safety vigilance, as Listeria can survive and multiply even in refrigerated conditions. While Alma claims all contaminated products were recovered before retail distribution, the FDA’s Class I classification reflects the severe health consequences that could have occurred if these blueberries reached consumers.

FAQs

Q1. Which blueberries are affected by the recent recall? The recall affects organic blueberries produced by Alma Pak International in Georgia. The contaminated batches are identified by lot numbers 13325 G1060 and 13325 G1096.

Q2. What are the health risks associated with the recalled blueberries? The recalled blueberries potentially contain Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

Q3. Where were the contaminated blueberries distributed? The affected blueberries were shipped to a single customer in North Carolina. However, there is uncertainty about whether they were further distributed to retail stores.

Q4. What should consumers do if they have purchased the recalled blueberries? If you have purchased blueberries matching the recalled lot numbers, return unopened products to the store for a refund. Discard any opened products and thoroughly clean all surfaces and utensils that may have come into contact with them using hot, soapy water.

Q5. How does this recall compare to other recent food safety incidents? This recall is part of a broader trend of increasing food safety concerns, with food recalls up by 41% recently in the United States. While Alma Pak claims the affected products were recovered before reaching retail markets, the FDA’s Class I classification underscores the potential severity of the risk had the blueberries reached consumers.

Author

  • **Michael William** is a seasoned content writer with a knack for crafting engaging and impactful narratives across various digital platforms. Specializing in [specific niche or industry, e.g., technology, lifestyle, or finance], Michael combines in-depth research with a clear, compelling writing style to create content that resonates with audiences and drives results. With a background in [relevant field or education], he brings both expertise and creativity to his work, ensuring that each piece is both informative and captivating. When he’s not writing, Michael enjoys [personal interests or hobbies, e.g., hiking, cooking, or reading], which often inspire his work and keep his ideas fresh.

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