On September 3, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Class II recall classification for multiple fruit juice products manufactured by Evergreen Orchard Farm LLC, a company based in New Jersey. The recall, which was initially announced on July 3, concerns the absence of pasteurization and sanitation records required under federal food safety guidelines.
According to a report published by Newsweek, the affected products include three types of juices distributed in several U.S. states. The FDA notice does not indicate the presence of contamination, but lists the recall as ongoing while the agency continues its investigation into the documentation irregularities.
The Scope of the Recall
The recall includes three juice products packaged in 4-fluid-ounce foil pouches, with each case containing 25 pouches. The total volume spans nearly 900 cases, distributed to retail outlets in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The affected products are:
- Korean Pear Juice — 610 cases, with lot codes P20261110 and P20261130
- Grape Juice — 78 cases, with lot code G20261215
- Jujube Juice — 197 cases, with lot codes J20260910 and J20261110
As of September 3, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled products. Still, the recall remains ongoing, according to the FDA.
Class II Risk: What It Means
The FDA categorized the event as a Class II recall, which applies to products that may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.
According to the agency, this level of recall is used when
“Use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.“
Although the probability of severe illness is low, the lack of documentation raises questions about product safety. Pasteurization is a key step in eliminating potentially dangerous pathogens like E. coli or Listeria. In this case, there is no evidence the juices were treated or that sanitation controls were maintained during production.
Risks for Vulnerable Consumers
While healthy individuals may experience mild effects from contaminated juices, the FDA underscores that others could face far more serious consequences. In a statement on its website, the agency explains:
“While most people’s immune systems can usually fight off the effects of foodborne illness, children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes) risk serious illnesses or even death from drinking untreated juices.”
This warning aligns with the FDA’s broader campaign to increase awareness of the risks associated with unpasteurized juice.
Past Incidents and Known Hazards
In its public guidance, the FDA notes that untreated juices have been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illness in the past. The agency states:
“When fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed or used raw, bacteria from the produce can end up in your juice or cider. Unless the produce or the juice has been pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy any harmful bacteria, the juice could be contaminated.”
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received in the past, reports of outbreaks of foodborne illness, often called ‘food poisoning,’ that have been traced to drinking fruit and vegetable juice and cider that has not been treated to kill harmful bacteria.”
The Evergreen recall is therefore part of a broader pattern of concern involving non-treated juice products, which have been implicated in previous contamination events.
Current Status and Next Steps
The FDA continues to list the recall as ongoing. Consumers in possession of the affected products should not consume them and are encouraged to discard the pouches safely.
No replacement or reimbursement policy has been publicly announced by Evergreen Orchard Farm LLC at this time.
Efforts by Newsweek to contact the company by email outside regular working hours have so far gone unanswered.
