Florida-based snack company WanaBana is recalling units of its apple-cinnamon fruit puree pouches.
The company recalled the kid-aimed snacks after officials found “elevated” levels of lead in the products.
The FDA announced on October 28 that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services reported that four children had possible acute lead toxicity due to “elevated blood lead levels,” and had connected the fruit pouches to the cases. Upon conducting an investigation into the pouches, officials discovered “extremely high concentrations of lead” in the snack food.
“The FDA has reviewed and supports NCDHHS’s analytical findings and found that analytical results at this level could result in acute toxicity,” reads the announcement from the FDA.
“The FDA has shared the results with the firm whose representatives are cooperating with the FDA and have agreed to voluntarily recall all WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches regardless of expiration,” the agency said.
Efforts are currently being made by the FDA to remove the product from the market.
Short-term lead exposure can result in symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, headaches, and anemia. Long-term exposure can induce weight loss, constipation, lethargy, muscle aches, and more, according to the FDA.
However, lead exposure does not always result in immediate symptoms.
“A blood lead test is the best way to find out if a child has lead poisoning. A child with lead poisoning may not have visible signs or symptoms. Many children who have lead poisoning look and act healthy. Parents can talk to their child’s healthcare provider about getting a blood lead test if their child may have been exposed to lead,” the CDC said.
Parents are advised to neither purchase nor feed their children the WanaBana fruit puree pouches. Children who have consumed such products are advised to contact their healthcare providers for a blood test.
Similarly, researchers from Consumer Reports recently discovered “detectable” amounts of this metal alongside cadmium, another soft metal, in popular chocolate and cocoa brands such as Hershey, Nestlé, and Ghirardelli, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.