Cinnamon-applesauce pouch recall widens

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded its investigation into several brands of cinnamon-apple sauce pouches that appear to be contaminated with toxic levels of lead.

The investigation began late last month with WanaBana apple-cinnamon fruit puree pouches sold via Amazon, Dollar Tree and other online retailers and was expanded Friday to include Weis Markets-branded apple-cinnamon pouches as well as Schnucks brand cinnamon-applesauce pouches sold at Schnucks supermarkets and the grocer’s Eatwell Market locations.

Seven illnesses have been reported between Oct. 17 and last Wednesday, the FDA said, noting that it is investigating additional reports of illnesses.

Wanabana LLC launched a voluntary recall of all WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches on Oct. 31, following reports that four children were found to have elevated blood lead levels, “indicating potential acute lead toxicity,” the FDA reported.

An investigation by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services found “extremely high concentrations of lead” in multiple lots of the WanaBana pouches, the FDA said.

Schnuck Markets, in a recall letter posted to its website Friday, said the supplier of its applesauce pouches, Purcell International, detected elevated levels of lead in the cinnamon used by Austrofood SAS, the manufacturer of the applesauce pouches.

Schnucks urged consumers who’ve purchased the affected pouches to return them to the store for a full refund.

“Lead is toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status,” the grocer said. “Protecting children from exposure to lead is important to lifelong good health. Lead exposure in children is often difficult to see. Most children have no obvious immediate symptoms. If there’s suspicion that a child may have been exposed to lead, parents should talk to the child’s healthcare provider about getting a blood test.”

Short-term lead exposure can cause headache, abdominal pain, vomiting and anemia. Longer-term exposure can lead to irritability, lethargy, fatigues, muscle aches, constipation, tremor, weight loss and more.

“Consumers should not eat, sell or serve recalled WanaBana, Schnucks and Weis brand apple cinnamon pouches and should discard them,” the FDA said. “These products have a long shelf life. Consumers should check their homes and discard these products.”