Walmart has recalled more than 9,500 cases of apple juice over fears it may contain arsenic.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that PET bottles of the brand “Great Value,” containing six 8oz packs of apple juice, contain elevated levels of “inorganic arsenic.”
The recalled juices have a “best before” date of December 28, 2024 and a UPC of 0-78742-29655-5.
The recall was initiated on Aug. 15 and was later classified as a “Class II” recall on Friday, the FDA said.
A ‘Class II’ recall is ‘a situation in which the use of or exposure to a product in breach of the directive may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects or in which the likelihood of serious adverse health effects is remote’, according to the desk.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that 8oz of Great Value brand apple juice contained elevated levels of “inorganic arsenic” in six PET bottles.
In the U.S., the recalled apple juice was sold in stores in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
The FDA said the juices had 13.2 parts per billion of arsenic. Last year, the agency announced that the limit for inorganic arsenic in apple juice should be 10 parts per billion.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is abundant in the Earth’s crust, but it is toxic to humans.
Long-term exposure to the chemical element can cause skin lesions, various types of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the World Health Organisation.
In children, arsenic ingestion can have negative consequences for cognitive development and can even lead to death in young adults, the organization said.
The FDA said the juices had arsenic levels of 13.2 parts per billion. Last year, the agency announced that the limit for inorganic arsenic in apple juice should be 10 parts per billion.
According to the FDA, short-term exposure to arsenic in adults can cause nausea, vomiting, “numbness or burning sensation” in the hands and feet, and bruising.
It is unclear whether any injuries were reported from the apple juice, and Walmart has not made any recommendations for victims.
DailyMail.com has contacted Walmart for comment.
Earlier this month, a popular candy sold at Walmart and Dollar Tree was recalled nationwide over concerns about contamination with a deadly bacteria.
Iowa-based Palmer Candy Company voluntarily recalled its “White Coated Confectionery Items” in early May after it was discovered they may have been contaminated with salmonella, a foodborne illness that infects 1.3 million Americans annually.
Authorities then increased the severity of the recall in May, upgrading it to a “Class I” designation on August 6 — the most serious category of recalls.
Earlier this month, Iowa-based Palmer Candy Company voluntarily recalled its “White Coated Confectionary Items” after it was discovered they could be contaminated with salmonella
According to the FDA, the affected products — mixtures of snack foods such as pretzels, cookies, popcorn and chocolate — were distributed nationwide in Walmart, HyVee, Target and Dollar General stores.
They were also sent to distributors in the following states: Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
According to the FDA, there have been no reports of injuries or illnesses linked to the products.
The potentially harmful candies are coated with a white-looking sugar coating and are sold in various packaging, such as bags, sachets and tubs.
The affected candies were sold under brand names including Palmer Candy, Great Value, Casey’s and Every True Tiger, a brand owned by the University of Missouri.
Palmer Candy was informed of the potential hazard by the supplier of the liquid coating, who said the products could possibly be contaminated with salmonella.