Dole Diversified North America Inc. is recalling certain cases of Dole Fresh Blueberries packaged in a variety of clamshell sizes because of possible Cyclospora contamination.
The impacted products were distributed in four U.S. states, Illinois, Maine, New York, and Wisconsin, and two Canadian provinces, Alberta and British Columbia.
The product lot code is located on the top label of the clamshell and is a series of numbers printed in black. Dependent upon where the numbers are printed, they may go across the wording on the label.
Recalled products:
| Description | Dole Fresh Blueberries UPC | Dole Fresh Blueberries Pack Out Date | Dole Fresh Blueberries Lot Code |
| Dole Fresh Blueberries | |||
| 18 oz– 0 71430 01154 6 | May 28, 2021 May 29, 2021 June 01, 2021 June 03, 2021 June 05, 2021 June 07, 2021 | 14632 14732 15032,15046 15232 15446,15432 15646,15648 | |
| Pint – 0 71430 01151 5 | June 01, 2021 June 02, 2021 June 03, 2021 June 04, 2021 June 07, 2021 | 15032,15046 15132,15148,15146 15232 15332 15646,15648 | |
| 6 oz – 07143001150 8 | May 28, 2021 June 01, 2021 June 07, 2021 | 14632 15032,15046 15646,15648 | |
| 24 oz – 071430011155 3 | June 02, 2021 June 04, 2021 June 05, 2021 June 09, 2021 | 15132,15148,15146 15332 15446,15432 15848, 15846 |
As of the posting of this recall, no illnesses have been reported.
Consumers are advised to check any product they have in their homes and discard any product matching the production description, UPC codes, and product lot codes listed above.
Consumers who have any of the recalled products should not consume them, but rather discard them immediately.
About Cyclospora
Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite.
Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it’s rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections.
Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a tiny, single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter.
In the U.S., imported produce is a common source of cyclospora. Food safety experts say there’s no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite.
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