The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that it has notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding 23 instances of lead poisoning associated with contaminated applesauce pouches originating from a facility in Ecuador.
As reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, twenty-two of these cases were categorized as “probable,” with one being classified as “suspected.”
The affected individuals resided across various counties, including Allegheny, Chester, Cumberland, Delaware, Monroe, Montgomery, Erie, Lancaster, Mercer, Northumberland, as well as within the city of Philadelphia.
Cinnamon Applesauce Linked to Child Poisoning
The health department opted not to disclose the precise number of cases in each county to safeguard the anonymity of the patients.
Inspectors uncovered that cinnamon-flavored applesauce had caused poisoning in hundreds of American children, with lead levels deemed “extremely high.”
The CDC has documented a total of 468 cases across 44 states, designating 111 as “confirmed.”
The source of the lead was traced back to ground cinnamon samples supplied by Negasmart, an Ecuadorian company supplying the spice to Austrofoods, the manufacturer of the pouches. Reports indicated that lead contamination in the samples exceeded FDA limits by over 200 times.
FDA Finds High Chromium in Applesauce Pouches
Furthermore, alongside lead, the US Food and Drug Administration revealed the presence of “a high level” of chromium, a potentially toxic chemical element, during their investigation.
The pouches were marketed under three brand names: WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis.
Given their extended shelf life, these pouches may still be present in consumers’ residences. The CDC advises against consuming these pouches and recommends their disposal instead.
Individuals who have ingested the recalled pouches are urged to seek guidance from their healthcare provider, as the CDC emphasizes that there is no safe threshold for lead ingestion.