Apple Juice Recall: Arsenic Contamination Impacts Florida

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Apple juice is a popular drink, especially among children, and it should not contain notable levels of arsenic. However, on August 15, 2024, Walmart voluntarily initiated a recall on its Great Value brand apple juice due to its arsenic concentration.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that 9,535 six-pack cases of Walmart’s eight-ounce Great Value apple juices needed to be recalled after the product was found to contain “inorganic arsenic above action level set in industry guidance”.

This is of particular concern because, as the FDA reports, modern research finds that “inorganic arsenic is more dangerous than organic arsenic”. As such, the FDA states that inorganic arsenic’s negative effects on a person’s health as a result of exposure are typically of greater severity.

Short-term exposure to high amounts of inorganic arsenic can cause “nausea, vomiting, bruising, and numbness or burning sensations in the hands and feet”. In adults, long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic can cause “skin disorders and increased risks for skin, bladder, and lung cancers, and...cardiovascular disease”.

In children, high levels of either organic or inorganic arsenic exposure can result in “learning disabilities, behavior difficulties, and lowered IQ”. The younger the child, the more severe the effects are likely to be, with fetuses and infants being among the most vulnerable.

Currently, the FDA does not allow for the use of any amount of arsenic as a food or color additive. It claims to limit the amount of arsenic in food, preventing its presence when possible.

This said, the FDA does allow for an arsenic concentration of 10 parts per billion in bottled water. In its report, the FDA says that the Great Value brand apple juice had an inorganic arsenic concentration of 13.2 parts per billion.

The affected apple juice is best if used by December 28, 2024, with the identifying code CT89-6. Walmart locations in 27 different American territories and states are affected by this recall, including Florida.

On August 23, the FDA defined the recall as a Class II. Fortunately, Class II recalls are issued when the effects of a health hazard are usually temporary or reversible, and the risk of serious health consequences are low.

Article by Ema Tibbetts