Current:Home > ScamsRecalled applesauce pouches contained lead due to a single cinnamon processor, FDA says-LoTradeCoin
Recalled applesauce pouches contained lead due to a single cinnamon processor, FDA says
View Date:2024-12-23 16:08:31
Recalled applesauce pouches that sickened more than 400 children across nearly all 50 states contained lead due to a single cinnamon processor, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday amidst an investigation into the recalled product.
Previous FDA testing showed samples of cinnamon used in WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit pouches not only contained elevated lead levels, but the element chromium. According to the Centers for Disease Control, chromium is a naturally present element with trace levels normally found in a person's diet.
Ecuadorian officials in Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (ARSCA) - the country's national agency for health regulation - reported Carlos Aguilera of Ecuador, a cinnamon processing company in the South American country, is "the likely source of contamination and is not in operation at this time," the federal regulator announced in an update Tuesday.
FDA report:Applesauce pouches recalled for lead could have been contaminated intentionally
Cinnamon sticks sourced from Sri Lanka
The FDA also wrote ARCSA found the unprocessed cinnamon sticks used in the recalled products "were sourced from Sri Lanka" and were sampled by ARCSA and found to have no lead contamination.
U.S food regulators said ARCSA’s investigation and legal proceedings continued this week to determine who is ultimately responsible for the contamination.
The mishap is being investigated by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control.
FDA report:Recalled cinnamon applesauce pouches were never tested for lead
FDA cannot take direct action'
The FDA said it cannot take direct action with Negasmart or Carlos Aguilera as the agency has limited authority over foreign ingredient suppliers who do not directly ship product to the states.
"This is because their food undergoes further manufacturing/processing prior to export," the FDA said.
As of Monday, the FDA reported it had not received any additional confirmed reports "of adverse events" linked to recalled product.
Those who reported being affected by the recalled applesauce ranged from age 1 to 53 years old, the FDA said.
What is lead poisoning?
Lead, a toxic metal once widely used in paint ad gasoline is a neurotoxin that can cause serious harm to a child’s developing brain.
Even low levels of exposure of lead can cause "behavioral effects, delays in puberty, and decreases in hearing, cognitive performance, and postnatal growth or height," according to the National Institute of Environmental Sciences.
Cheese recall:Dozens of dairy products sold nationwide for risk of listeria contamination
Potential health affects
According to the CDC, chronic, "prolonged exposure to chromium through inhalation and skin exposure" has been associated with chronic lung disease and ulceration of skin and mucous membranes. Chromium (VI) is a known carcinogen, public health officials said.
The exact form of chromium in the recalled applesauce products is not known but lead chromate has previously been reported as a contaminant in spices and foods.
Both the FDA and CDC said there's no safe level of lead in children's blood.
"No level of lead is good for you," food safety lawyer Bill Marler previously told USA TODAY. "It's obviously concerning. … Anybody who's eaten this should be tested for blood levels."
If you or your child may have eaten the recalled products the CDC recommends calling your health care provider to get a blood test.
Contributing: Mike Snider
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
veryGood! (56)
Related
- Is the stock market open on Veterans Day? What to know ahead of the federal holiday
- Nab $140 Worth of Isle of Paradise Tanning Butter for $49 and Get Your Glow On
- Apple fined almost $2 billion by EU for giving its music streaming service leg up over rivals'
- Alabama man jailed in 'the freezer' died of homicide due to hypothermia, records show
- Prosecutors say some erroneous evidence was given jurors at ex-Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial
- A list of mass killings in the United States this year
- Californians to vote on measure governor says he needs to tackle homelessness crisis
- Vegans swear by nutritional yeast. What is it?
- Ex-Marine misused a combat technique in fatal chokehold of NYC subway rider, trainer testifies
- Kacey Musgraves calls out her 'SNL' wardrobe blunder: 'I forget to remove the clip'
Ranking
- NFL Week 10 winners, losers: Cowboys' season can no longer be saved
- More people filed their taxes for free so far this year compared to last year, IRS says
- MH370 vanished a decade ago and search efforts stopped several years later. A U.S. company wants to try again.
- Taraji P. Henson encourages Black creators to get louder: 'When we stay quiet, nothing changes'
- 'Treacherous conditions' in NYC: Firefighters battling record number of brush fires
- Julianne Hough Shares How She Supported Derek Hough and His Wife Hayley Erbert Amid Health Scare
- A month after cyberattack, Chicago children’s hospital says some systems are back online
- It's NFL franchise tag deadline day. What does it mean, top candidates and more
Recommendation
-
Shawn Mendes Confesses He and Camila Cabello Are No Longer the Closest
-
Top Israeli cabinet official meets with U.S. leaders in Washington despite Netanyahu's opposition
-
2024 Oscar Guide: International Feature
-
A list of mass killings in the United States this year
-
Champions Classic is for elite teams. So why is Michigan State still here? | Opinion
-
5-time Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey kills and guts a moose that got entangled with his dog team
-
'Love is Blind' Season 6 finale: When does the last episode come out?
-
Credit card late fees to be capped at $8 under Biden campaign against junk fees