TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration said Friday that GreenWise frozen berries recalled in the US over possible E. coli contamination had not been imported into Taiwan as of July 30.
The US Food and Drug Administration announced the recall on July 30, CNA reported. It covers GreenWise Organic IQF Frozen Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries sold in 10-ounce and 48-ounce packages.
Taiwan FDA official Liao Tzu-ting (廖姿婷) said no import applications had been filed for the recalled products as of July 30. The agency therefore placed them in the safest category of its overseas food safety alert system, meaning there was no record of the products entering Taiwan.
Liao said E. coli is commonly found in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. Some strains can cause diarrhea, stomach pain, and other illnesses when food or water is contaminated with feces, Economic Daily News reported.
She said enterohemorrhagic E. coli is a more dangerous strain that can be transmitted from animals to humans. People can become infected by eating contaminated food, particularly food that has not been properly cooked or handled.
Taiwan FDA advised businesses not to import products covered by the recall. Companies that have imported or used similar products should check with manufacturers, exporters, or Taiwan suppliers and temporarily stop selling or using any potentially affected products.
If a supplier confirms that a product is covered by the recall, businesses should remove it from sale and offer consumers refunds or exchanges. They should also notify local health authorities and Taiwan FDA.
