Check Your Freezer: Strawberry Blend Sold At Costco Recalled

Few things in life are as frustrating as trying to eat well and having your attempts thwarted by factors beyond your control. Rising food prices, lack of access to nutritious ingredients, and food recalls have a way of cramping your healthy lifestyle. The most recent recall may compromise your morning smoothie routine since it impacts fruit that could be lurking in your freezer. 

The reason for the recall is a serious health threat: Organic strawberries grown in a certain region of Mexico may be contaminated with Hepatitis A. Produced by Wawona Frozen Fruits (which has been linked to other frozen fruit recalls in the past), the berries in question are part of their Organic DayBreak Blend sold at Costco. There was a major strawberry recall last year. Recalls earlier this year affected frozen strawberries grown in the same region, but this time around, it's a frozen fruit blend. Due to frozen food's long shelf life, some sales may have taken place last year. 

Organic DayBreak Blend is no longer on shelves at Costco warehouses, but bags were sold between April 15 and June 26, 2022. Costco stores selling the recalled blend are located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington, with use-by dates ranging from September 23, 29, and 30 to October 18 of this year. As reported by Food Safety News, the codes affected are 20082D04, 20082D05, 20082D06, 20082D07, 20082D08, 20088D04, 20088D05,20088D6, 420088D07, 20088D08, 20088D09, 20088D010, 20088D011, 20088D012, 20089D09, 20089D010, 20089D011, 20089D012, 20108D04, 20108D05, 20108D06, 20108D07, and 20108D08. Wawona is available to answer questions at wawona.com and by phone at 1-866-534-9986. 

In the U.S., Hepatitis A outbreaks are generally limited since many Americans are vaccinated against the disease. However, some populations, like the homeless, are still vulnerable. So far, there are no reports of people getting sick from the Wawona blends specifically, but nine people across three states — several of whom have been hospitalized — have been infected by the Mexican strawberries impacted by the recall.

Hepatitis A is a serious disease that causes nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, jaundice and liver infections, and related symptoms. It is normally spread by direct contact, but can also be contracted by ingesting food that has been in contact with the fecal matter of sick persons. In fruit processing, this is usually the result of poor sewage in the area where the produce is grown and harvested or limited access to clean water.  Fruit and vegetable farming is a big business in Mexico, especially since the Mexican climate is conducive to growing conditions for things like tomatoes, and U.S. demand for produce is consistently high. The demand for organic produce in Mexico has increased in recent years; The country has over 1.2 million hectares of land dedicated to organic farming. Despite the importance of agriculture to the nation's economy, infrastructure is still lacking in many regions, and access to clean drinking water continues to be a challenge.