What the latest string of recalls is teaching us about food contamination.
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If you’ve noticed more frozen fruit recalls than normal in recent weeks, you’re not alone. While recalls are not exactly uncommon in the food world, the frequency certainly stands out over the past month.
In June alone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued four separate recalls affecting many of the country's largest grocery chains including Costco, Walmart, and Target stores nationwide. What's behind the scary spike in frozen fruit contamination? We get to the bottom of the news, and give you tips to stay safe and protected against food-borne illness.
Why Is So Much Frozen Fruit Being Recalled?
A recall of frozen organic strawberries due to potential Hepatitis A contamination was issued earlier this month on June 9. Another recall for the same reason was reported just days later on June 13 for three varieties of frozen fruit. Grown in the Baja, California region of Mexico, the frozen fruit containing strawberries and items mixed or processed with these strawberries was sold in Walmart, Costco, and H-E-B stores in 32 states.
The most recent recall of contaminated frozen fruit products, linked to organic pineapple, struck the doors of six companies: Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Aldi, and AWG (Associated Wholesale Grocers). On June 21 and June 23, the FDA announced the recalls from distributors SunOpta and Scenic Fruit Company due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
These recalls certainly cause concern. Although there have been no illnesses associated with the Listeria monocytogenes recall to date, nine people fell sick from eating frozen organic strawberries contaminated with Hepatitis A. Is there a reason behind the sudden spike in frozen fruit contamination? The story is a little complicated.
Frozen fruit has a long shelf life–sometimes as long as one year if it is kept consistently frozen. The nine illnesses related to the recall of frozen organic strawberries range from November 24, 2022, to April 12, 2023.
And because the recalls relate to two different diseases and two different fruits, these separate cases are popping up at the same time even though the cause is likely the result of contamination from many months prior.
As a result, Wawona Frozen Foods, one of the distributors that sells organic frozen strawberries grown in Mexico, issued a voluntary recall for the year-old Organic DayBreak Blend out of an abundance of caution.
What about the potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination of frozen organic pineapple?
According to the FDA, “L. monocytogenes is generally transmitted when food is harvested, processed, prepared, packed, transported or stored in environments contaminated with L. monocytogenes. Environments can be contaminated by raw materials, water, soil, and incoming air.”
That means at any point along this process of harvesting, preparation, and transportation, the pineapple that would then be packaged and frozen, either by itself or with other fruit, became contaminated. Additionally, pre-cut fruit is more likely to be contaminated due to increased handling and opportunities for cross-contamination in processing facilities.
These stores distributed the frozen organic pineapple at different times as well. For example, Aldi had products with potential L. monocytogenes on the shelves from October 11, 2022, to May 22, 2023, and Whole Foods from November 1, 2022, to June 21, 2023.
With lots of moving parts, it can be difficult to know when a specific food became contaminated and how, but when contamination is discovered, companies will typically issue recalls just to be safe.
How to Protect Yourself Against Contaminated Food
How can you stay safe from contaminated food? The best way to avoid recalled food is not necessarily to change your eating habits, but rather to stay up to date on food safety news. Wash and cook your foods when applicable, store your groceries properly, and avoid risky produce if you are especially concerned.
And when it comes to recalled foods, don’t take chances—especially if you have a weakened immune system, are pregnant, have children, or are over the age of 65.
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