(DailyDig.com) – Dollar Tree, Inc. received a letter last week from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning them that they failed to discard a recalled product. Dollar Tree still had children’s snack food on its shelves 45 days after the recall was announced. Researchers found higher than permissible levels of chromium and lead in the product.
Forty-four states reported confirmed cases of children with a high level of lead in their blood after consuming the product. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the product was marketed specifically for toddlers.
The product, Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree, came in pouches from WanaBana. After testing found a high concentration of lead in their product, the company issued a recall on October 29, 2023, per the FDA.
By April 2024, the number of cases had dropped significantly, and the outbreak was announced as over.
Despite the announcement of the recall on October 29, 2023, and the subsequent written notification to Dollar Tree, the product remained on their shelves months later.
The FDA sent a letter to Dollar Tree instructing them to remove or destroy the remaining products after working with their local and state partners to confirm their removal from the stores.
A Recall Audit Check (RAC) by the FDA was issued for all Dollar Tree locations. Because of the RAC, they discovered that between November 10 and December 19, Dollar Tree still stocked the WanaBana product in their stores.
The FDA’s letter to Dollar Tree stated that they held numerous meetings with Dollar Tree to follow the recall process of removing the product from the store. According to the letter, Dollar Tree said they programmed their cash registers to deny the sale of the product. The FDA said they needed to remove the product because that wasn’t enough.
The FDA’s latest letter to Dollar Tree was to require written steps they have taken to avoid any more recall violations. The company needs to respond within 15 days to avoid legal action.
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