FDA tells shoppers to check freezers as Walmart berry recall expands during E. coli outbreak

Frozen berries are the latest food item to be recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), joining an alarming number of issues that make your weekly grocery shopping more difficult than ever.

Shoppers have been specifically asked to check the freezers at their local Walmart, alongside their stores at home, as several frozen berry products have been identified as a potential health risk in connection with a growing E. coli outbreak.

This comes alongside a pre-existing recall for frozen berries sold at Publix, which have been linked to 17 different illnesses resulting in six hospitalizations, as per USA Today, but now Walmart has been placed under the microscope.

The products sold in Walmart that have been identified are located in 16 different states, but it appears as if the recall is more a precautionary measure from the FDA with no specific illnesses linked to the products as of September 3 — although this could change as the situation develops.

"This market action is taken as a precautionary measure following traceback information of the previous recall," the notice outlines.

Which products have been recalled?

Frozen berries under the 'Great Value' branding at Walmart have been identified for a recall (FDA)

This new recall specifically relates to frozen berries sold under the 'Great Value' branding, with it targeting the Triple Berry Blend that includes strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

The UPC and lot code for this recalled product are 7874211226 and 6040 01-6, respectively, with a use-by date of February 9, 2028 on the packaging.

If you have bought these berries in a recent shop, or find the product in the freezer section yourself, make sure that you don't eat any and either throw them away or return them directly to Walmart to get a refund instead.

All states where Walmart sells the recalled products

There are 16 different states where these frozen berries have been sold, so if you live in one of them you might want to check your freezer or local Walmart store just in case:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Minnesota

Walmart stores in 16 different states have the potential to stock this recalled product (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

• Mississippi
• Missouri
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Wisconsin

With so many recalls to keep up with and more being added on a weekly basis, it's understandably hard to keep up with all of the risks currently present in the United States.

Why are so many products being recalled by the FDA?

Improved detection methods and a lack of staff likely contribute to more frequent recalls (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

There have been dozens of different types of food and drink subject to a recall thanks to action from the FDA, and it's led people to wonder why the risk level is suddenly so high across the board.

According to Dr Sylvain Charlebois of Dalhousie University, who spoke to FOX 26 Houston about the issue, part of the uptick in recalls comes from the improvements made to identification methods, as experts are able to spot issues earlier and take proactive action in order to prevent illnesses across the nation.

Where issues can occur, however, is with the comparatively low number of federal inspectors for the task at hand, with the U.S. only having slightly more than double the staff compared to Canada for work that is around 10 times larger, with those at hand struggling to cover all of the bases no matter how hard they work.