(DailyDig.com) – The FDA reported on November 3 that they had widened their investigation into increased levels of lead detected in packets of apple sauce marketed for children when receiving complaints of a minimum of seven illnesses spanning five states.
St. Louis’s Schnuck Markets Inc. has recalled some applesauce pouches after manufacturer Austrofood SAS discovered dangerously high amounts of lead in the cinnamon it uses. Actions were taken by both the Weis grocery chain and WanaBana.
After an initial safety advisory issued on October 28 urging caregivers not to purchase WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches due to increased lead levels, the product was recalled. Reports of high blood lead levels in four children prompted an investigation by the FDA and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
During their investigation, NCDHHS tested various batches of the WanaBana product and found dangerously high levels of lead. Results at this high level might lead to acute toxicity, as determined by NCDHHS and supported by the FDA.
All of the WanaBana products were voluntarily recalled on October 31 by the company’s Coral Gables, Florida, headquarters. Since the first warning, the FDA has taken up the investigation in tandem with the CDC and other local and state partners.
The FDA has now identified two other brands and reported receiving further reports of sickness, which it is now evaluating. The Food and Drug Administration is still looking into the cause of the contamination of lead and whether or not other items are responsible for the illnesses. The FDA will revise this warning when new evidence emerges.
Lead is hazardous to individuals and has been linked to delays in children’s development after exposure. Lead exposure may cause a host of unpleasant side effects, such as lethargy, headaches, muscular pains, stomach discomfort, anemia, irritability, and vomiting. Parents and children’s caregivers who may have given the WanaBana product to children should have their healthcare professionals test the child’s blood for lead levels.
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