A Florida family is suing Publix and distributor Quirch Foods, alleging contaminated GreenWise Organic frozen blueberries caused Karla Mullins’ death and sickened her son, who was hospitalized. The suit says Mullins became ill after eating the berries and died June 20.
A Chilean supplier recalled one lot on July 3; Publix expanded the recall on July 29 to all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries. Federal health officials linked the berries to a multistate E. coli O145:H28 outbreak. The Shiga toxin-producing strain can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting.
The lawsuit was filed in Pinellas County Circuit Court and says the berries were bought at a Publix on Ulmerton Road in Largo. Mullins’ husband and son are seeking damages. The complaint calls the product defective and unreasonably dangerous, and accuses Publix and Quirch, which it identifies as an intermediate distributor, of liability. Representatives for both companies and the family’s lawyers did not immediately respond to comment requests.
