The Costco product is sold under brand name Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidan...
FDA Recall #F-0701-2014 — Class I — June 3, 2013
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | F-0701-2014 |
| Date Initiated | June 3, 2013 |
| Classification | Class I |
| Status | Terminated |
| Type | Voluntary: Firm initiated |
| Product Type | Food |
Recalling Firm
| Firm | Townsend Farms Inc |
| Location | Fairview, OR |
Product Description
The Costco product is sold under brand name Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend - The product is a mix of IQF organic berries, specifically; dark tart cherries, pomegranate arils, strawberries, red raspberries, and blueberries. The product is packaged into plastic bags with a net wt. 48oz (3 lbs) 1.36kg. There are 12 bags in a case. The Costco item # is 595820 and has the UPC 0 78414 40444 8. Harris Teeter Organics Antioxidant Berry Blend - The product is a mix of IQF organic berries, specifically; dark tart cherries, pomegranate arils, strawberries, red raspberries, and blueberries. The product is packaged into plastic bags with a net wt. 10 oz (283 g). There are 12 bags in a case. The Harris Teeter product has the UPC 0 72036 70463 4. For the Costco product there are two different labels: The first Costco product label reads in part "*** USDA ORGANIC***Organic Antioxidant Blend*** DARK TART CHERRIES, POMEGRANATE ARILS, STRAWBERRIES, RED RASPBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES***Townsend Farms *** Individually Quick Frozen KEEP FROZEN *** NET WT. 48oz (3 LBS) 1.36KG ***". The second Costco product label reads in part "***HEART HEALTHY HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS***Organic Antioxidant Blend***DARK TART CHERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, POMEGRANATE ARILS, RED RASPBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES***Individually Quick Frozen All Natural No Preservatives*** USDA ORGANIC***Townsend Farms *** Grower Processor Distributor*** KEEP FROZEN *** Net Wt. 48oz (3 lbs) 1.36kg***ITEM #595820***". The Harris Teeter label reads in part "***HARRIS TEETER***Organics Antioxidant Berry Blend***Organic Dark Cherries, Organic Blueberries, Organic Pomegranate, Organic Red Raspberries & Organic Strawberries *** USDA ORGANIC***NET WT 10 OZ (283 G)***KEEP FROZEN *** PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY: HARRIS TEETER *** MATHEWS, NC 28105 ***".
Reason for Recall
Harris Teeter Organics Antioxidant Berry Blend (10 oz.) and Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend (3 lbs.) are recalled because it has the potential to be contaminated with Hepatitis A virus, based on the epidemiological and traceback investigation by the FDA and the CDC, of an illness outbreak.
Classification
Class I — 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.
Distribution Pattern
Product was distributed from Townsend Farms to consignees' distribution centers in Arizona, California, North Carolina, Utah, and Washington.
Product Quantity
504,060 retail packages (3 lbs.) and 6,300 retail packages (10 oz.)
Product Codes / Lot Numbers
Costco Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend: BEST BY from T012415 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter and BEST BY from T122114 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter. All letter designations are included in the voluntary recall. Harris Teeter Organics Antioxidant Berry Blend product has lot codes T041613C and T041613E and the BEST BY code 101614. The codes are breakdown as: Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend: T = Townsend, 053115 = a two year best by date from the day it was manufactured, Letter = a two hour window of production; Harris Teeter Organic Antioxidant Berry Blend - T = Townsend, 041613 = the date the product was produced, C or E = a two hour window of production, BEST BY 101614 = 18 month best by date.
What Should You Do?
Stop consuming this product immediately. Check your home for the recalled item and dispose of it safely. If you experienced a health issue after consuming this product, contact your doctor and report it to the FDA MedWatch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stop consuming the product immediately and do not donate or give it to others. Check the recall notice above for specific disposal or return instructions. Many food recalls ask you to throw the product away and retain the packaging for a possible refund from the retailer. If you purchased it online, check your order history — some retailers send recall notifications directly to customers. You do not need a receipt to report an issue or seek a refund; the fact of purchase is typically sufficient.
In most cases, yes. Retailers are typically notified to accept returns of recalled products and issue refunds, regardless of whether you have a receipt. Check with the store where you purchased the item. Some manufacturers also offer direct refunds — contact the recalling firm using the information in the official recall notice. If you purchased the product online, contact the retailer's customer service with your order number. In either case, you generally do not need original packaging, though retaining the product label with the lot code or UPC can speed up the process.
Report foodborne illnesses and adverse food reactions to the FDA through the MedWatch Safety Reporting Portal at FDA.gov, or by calling 1-800-332-1088. You can also report issues directly to the FDA's Safety Reporting Portal at SafetyReporting.hhs.gov. If you believe there is an immediate public health risk, contact your local health department. Your report helps the FDA identify contamination patterns, initiate recalls faster, and protect other consumers from the same hazard. Include as much detail as possible: the product name, lot code, purchase date and location, and a description of your symptoms or findings.
The FDA assigns a status to each recall action throughout its lifecycle. "Ongoing" means the recall is active — the firm is still working to remove the product from commerce and notify consumers. "Completed" means the recall strategy has been implemented and the FDA has determined that the recalling firm has taken all appropriate steps to remove the product. "Terminated" means the FDA has reviewed the results and concluded the recall is complete. Even if a recall is marked as completed or terminated, you should still discard any recalled products you find at home — the recall status refers to the firm's compliance actions, not the safety of product still in consumers' possession.