WASHINGTON—Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc., a Albany, Ore., firm, is recalling 59,780 cases of Costco private label Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit because the fruit may be contaminated with Salmonella, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced March 13.
The recall was initiated March 8 and involves Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit is sold in a red and white case containing 20 pouches of freeze-dried snacks with a “best before" date of Feb. 14-March, 11, 2015. The recalled products were distributed to Costco stores in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.
In June 2013, Costco faced another food-safety fruit fiasco when 99 people in eight states became ill with acute hepatitis A infections from reportedly eating Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, a mix of frozen berries and pomegranate seeds sold at the warehouse stores. Illnesses were reported in Arizona, California Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Washington; 39 people were hospitalized. All ill people reported purchasing the fruit from Costco markets; however, the product was also sold at Harris Teeter stores.