Recall alert: Parents warned fruit product found to have ‘extremely high’ levels of lead

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded an investigation into apple cinnamon fruit puree marketed for children amid reports of more illnesses and additional product recalls, The Associated Press reported.

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The USDA said Friday it has received reports of seven illnesses in at least five states possibly linked to the contaminated fruit puree. The FDA said the cases associated with the applesauce pouch recall were reported in North Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland and Missouri.

Two new companies, Schnucks Markets of St. Louis and Weis Markets of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, announced recalls of certain cinnamon applesauce products because they may contain high levels of lead, according to a statement from the FDA.

WanaBana of Coral Gables, Florida, previously recalled all lots and expiration dates of its apple cinnamon fruit puree.

Parents are being warned not to buy or serve the cinnamon applesauce products, which are sold at retailers including Amazon, Dollar Tree and at Schnucks and Eatwell Markets grocery stores.

Those who consume the product can suffer “acute toxicity,” FDA officials said. Anyone who has eaten the product should be tested for lead levels, the agency said.

The WanaBana company last week issued an urgent recall of its apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches after high levels of lead were found in the snacks following reports in North Carolina, where health officials are looking into four children with elevated blood levels linked to the WanaBana product.

According to state officials, the level of lead found was “extremely high.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that short-term exposure to lead could result in the following symptoms:

• Headache
• Abdominal pain/Colic
• Vomiting
• Anemia

Longer-term exposure could result in additional symptoms:

• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning
• Occasional abdominal discomfort
• Constipation
• Difficulty concentrating/Muscular exhaustibility
• Headache
• Tremor
• Weight loss

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