Image Source: FDA via AP/ The Canadian Press
Federal health officials disclosed on Friday that the recalled cinnamon applesauce pouches, previously linked to lead poisoning in hundreds of U.S. children, contained an additional contaminant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that, along with lead, investigators found a "high level" of chromium in the WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree and cinnamon sourced from the Ecuador factory responsible for manufacturing the pouches.
This revelation coincides with a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which documented 287 confirmed, probable, or suspected lead poisoning cases across 37 states in an outbreak identified in October. The FDA noted that while at least one adult reported elevated blood lead levels after consuming the lead-tainted pouches, the median age of those affected is 1.
The specific type of chromium detected in the products remains unclear, according to FDA investigators. Chromium is a naturally occurring element, with one form, chromium III, considered an essential nutrient, and another form, chromium VI, known to cause cancer.
The lead-to-chromium ratio identified in the factory aligns with lead chromate, a compound previously reported as a contaminant in specific spices. However, officials emphasize that this finding does not conclusively prove that lead chromate was the contaminant in the recalled pouches.
The CDC advises anyone who consumed the recalled pouches to consult with a healthcare provider, underscoring that there is no safe level of lead consumption. The affected pouches were sold under the WanaBana brand at Dollar Tree stores and online, as well as under the Schnucks and Weis brands in stores. Given their extended shelf life, these products may still be present in consumers' homes, and individuals are urged not to consume or serve them and to discard the pouches.
