FDA Warns Parents of Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches Containing High Levels of Lead
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to parents and caregivers against purchasing and feeding their children WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches. According to the FDA, the snacks were found to contain high levels of lead, which is toxic to humans and can lead to developmental delays in children.
The WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches are sold nationwide at various retailers, including Sam’s Club, Amazon, and Dollar Tree. The FDA recommends that parents and caregivers who believe their children may have consumed these pouches should contact their child’s healthcare provider to schedule a blood test.
Symptoms of lead exposure include headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting, anemia, muscle aches, irritability, and fatigue, the FDA warns. The issue came to light when North Carolina state health officials began investigating four children with elevated blood lead levels and found that the WanaBana pouches could be the common source of exposure.
Multiple lots of WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree were analyzed, and North Carolina officials discovered “extremely high concentrations of lead.” As a result, the company has agreed to voluntarily recall all WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches, regardless of expiration.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has advised individuals who have WanaBana brand apple cinnamon puree products in their homes to immediately dispose of them and refrain from consuming or feeding them to their children. CNN has reached out to WanaBana for comment.
Exposure to lead can have severe consequences for a child’s health, including damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, and learning, hearing, speech, and behavior problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC emphasizes that even low levels of lead in blood can negatively affect a child’s intelligence, attention, and academic achievement.
Lead can be found in various environments, including homes built before lead-based paints were banned in 1978, as well as certain toys and jewelry. The CDC states that a blood lead test is the best way to assess a child’s exposure to lead.
The FDA is actively working with state officials and the company to collect additional information and remove all contaminated products from the market.