Costco Recalls Fall Staple–So Go Check Your Produce
If you bought butternut squash recently, you'll want to check your fridge, as one of Costco's suppliers just issued a recall on the fall staple–and it's the second recall to impact Costco's seasonally appropriate eats this month.
A notice sent out by Safeway Fresh Foods, the wholesale club's supplier, on Friday, Sept. 15, announced that select packages of butternut squash–specifically its 20522 Organic Butternut Squash–have been voluntarily recalled "due to the discovery of E-Coli O45 in a single sample during routine testing by our lab."
The packages affected are labeled with the date code 09/19/2023 and were distributed across three states and Washington, D.C. According to the statement, the products were sold between Thursday, Sept. 7 and Friday, Sept. 15, in the following areas:
Pennsylvania (at the Robinson and Homestead stores)
Maryland (at the Gaithersburg, Frederick, Columbia, Wheaton and Owings Mills locations)
Virginia (Fairfax, Sterling, Pentagon City, Leesburg and Charlottesville)
Washington, D.C.
Safeway Fresh Foods/Costco
Members who purchased the recalled butternut squash should have also received a letter from Safeway Fresh Foods notifying them of the advisory.
E. coli O45 is a type of Shiga toxin-producing bacteria that can cause illness in humans, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms of infection can vary by the person and usually begin within three to four days of eating something contaminated with the bacteria, often including severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.
So far, it's unclear if there have been any ties to illness from consuming the recalled vegetable. Still, Safeway Fresh Foods asks anyone in possession of it not to eat it and instead return it to their nearest Costco location for a full refund. Customers with questions are directed to call Safeway Fresh Foods at 1-856-692-7200 Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. ET to 4:00 p.m. ET.
Next: The New Sweet & Salty Costco Snack That’s Flying Off Shelves
