Coconut water drinkers beware. There may be something nasty, and potentially dangerous, lurking in your drink.
Coconut water has become an increasingly popular drink due to its natural sweetness, nutritional value, and hydration. Some athletes drink coconut water instead of sports drinks like Gatorade.
Due to its popularity, coconut water has become readily available in grocery stores, convenience stores, and even at bulk retailers like Costco and BJ’s.
What’s wrong with Costco’s Kirkland coconut water?
In a viral video with more than half a million views, Costco customer Cayla (@c_yla) warned others about buying Coconut water from the store’s brand, Kirkland Signature, which is known for affordable pricing.
“POV: your sign to NOT buy organic coconut water from Costco,” the text overlay on the video read.
In the clip, Cayla pours the contents of the personal-size coconut water container out and then cuts it open. She finds what is allegedly black mold all over the inside perimeter of the container.
In a comment, Cayla clarified that she knew something was off as soon as she tasted the beverage.
“It tasted funny so I looked inside and there was something visible. I decided to film right away,” Cayla wrote.
She opened the rest of the bulk container of bevs and found that they were all moldy.
While many commenters assumed that the mold developed because the product was left unrefrigerated after opening, Cayla pointed out that she is aware drinks need to be refrigerated.
@c_yla Check your @Costco Wholesale organic coconut water 🤮🤮🤮 mold inside… #costcocanada #costcotiktok #costcofinds #costco @CostcoCanadaFinds ♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER – Billie Eilish
In an Instagram direct message to the Daily Dot, Cayla explained that she didn’t request a refund since she only had six bottles left, but she made the video to raise awareness for others.
“This similar story has happened to me with oat milk from a different brand before. It must be from the packaging,” she said. “I also know that drinks need to be consumed within 3-7 days of opening and must be refrigerated. But this was not the case!”
“The drink came directly from the fridge and I had opened it 2 mins before I filmed the tiktok. I felt sick to my stomach when I saw the size of the mold,” Cayla shared.
Other coconut water drinkers complain
This appears to be a problem amongst some other coconut water brands, too.
One Vita Coco drinker had an even more disturbing experience. When she went to drink her coconut water, nothing came out despite the container feeling heavy.
She peered inside the drinking spout and then opened the container to find a large brownish-grey mold mass taking up the container.
While the drink is supposed to be shelf stable, the woman suspected that maybe the temperature had caused mold to grow. In a response, Vita Coco explained that it appears to be the kind of mold that can occur when the drink packaging is damaged in transit.
“Vita Coco is a natural product, so if the packaging is damaged and air gets into the package before you’re ready to drink it, mold can occur.”
What happens if you drink moldy coconut water?
In a medical forum, a doctor said that drinking moldy coconut water can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, an upset stomach, and even allergic reactions.
“Not all moulds produce toxins that are toxic to humans but we have no way of telling what type of mould one might have ingested and therefore it is difficult to predict if a person is going to have a problem on ingesting a mould,” the doctor wrote.
Another medical article pointed out that inhaling mold spores can irritate the respiratory tract, cause difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and exacerbate conditions like asthma.
Kirkland coconut water called out
“Lately I’ve been questioning Kirkland,” a commenter wrote.
And they’re not fully wrong. This isn’t the only Kirkland-brand item that’s raised suspicion. Last year, a mom found mold in her kids’ apple sauce packets and suspected it was causing them to have chronic coughs.
“They’re super moldy I can taste the mold, smell the mold. They’re moldy. I’m not feeding them to my kids, anymore,” the parent said.
Instead she decided they’d only be suitable to feed to the literal pigs she’s raising.
The Daily Dot reached out to Cayla for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message and to Costco via email.
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