Great Value Apple Juice, Sold at Walmart, Recalled for Arsenic Contamination
More than 9,500 cases of juice sold have been recalled
A notice on the Food and Drug Administration website says that Walmart’s Great Value Apple Juice supplier has recalled more than 9,500 cases. The juice contains 13.2 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic, exceeding the FDA limit of 10 ppb.
The recalled product is sold in 8-ounce plastic bottles as a six-pack and has a UPC code of 0-78742-29655-5.
The FDA’s Arsenic Limit Is Too High
The FDA finalized its 10 ppb limit on inorganic arsenic in apple juice in June. Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, says even that limit is above what many scientists consider to be safe. “The current FDA action level is based not on what could be most protective of public health, but more on industry’s ability to achieve the level,” he says. “That leaves children vulnerable to serious health issues, including damage to the brain and nervous system.” CR’s scientists have long advocated for a 3 ppb level limit in fruit juice.
Arsenic (and other heavy metals) can be found in soil and water either naturally or as the result of contamination from pesticide use or industrial waste. Apple trees, rice plants, and some other plants are efficient at absorbing arsenic.
A 2018 CR test of 45 fruit juices, including apple juice, found elevated levels of cadmium, inorganic arsenic, and/or lead in almost half of them. Other tests from CR have found elevated levels of heavy metals in infant and toddler foods, rice and rice products, protein powder, and tuna.
