Walmart Issues 25-State Recall After Harmful Levels of Arsenic Are Discovered
Walmart has issued a recall for nearly 10,000 cases of Great Value brand apple juice due to potentially harmful levels of inorganic arsenic found in the product. The recall, which affects juice sold across 25 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C., was declared urgent by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after the initial announcement made on August 15. Florida-based Refresco Beverages US Inc. voluntarily recalled the juice bottles after discovering that the arsenic levels exceeded industry standards. Walmart has already removed the affected product from its stores and is cooperating with the supplier for further investigation. While low levels of arsenic are commonly found in various food items, the FDA confirmed that the levels detected in this recall are not expected to cause severe health issues. The agency has not received reports of illnesses related to the recalled apple juice, although high concentrations of inorganic arsenic can be more toxic and have been classified as carcinogenic by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Walmart has recalled nearly 10,000 cases of apple juice sold in stores across the U.S. that were found to contain potentially harmful levels of inorganic arsenic.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the recall a more urgent classification Friday after making its original announcement August 15th. The new classification said the affected product may temporarily cause adverse health consequences, but is unlikely to cause serious or irreversible medical issues.
The recall applies to 9,535 cases of Great Value brand apple juice sold in 25 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Florida-based manufacturer Refresco Beverages US Inc. voluntarily recalled the contaminated six-packs of 8-ounce juice bottles after discovering levels of the chemical contaminant that exceeded industry standards.
“The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” Walmart spokesperson Molly Blakeman said in a statement. “We have removed this product from our impacted stores and are working with the supplier to investigate.”
Very low levels of inorganic and organic arsenic are found in many food products, according to the National Institutes of Health. Testing is routine, as slightly elevated levels of either form can cause symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, numbness and muscle cramping.
Inorganic arsenic is more toxic to humans than the naturally occurring form of the mineral arsenic, and the health effects from exposure are more severe, according to the FDA. The Environmental Protection Agency has labeled inorganic arsenic a carcinogen, or a substance that causes cancer.
Levels found in the recalled apple juice bottles are low enough that the FDA does not expect them to cause such severe health consequences.
The FDA has not d reports of possible illnesses associated with the apple juice recall.
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