Apple juice recalled by Walmart due to arsenic concerns

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nearly 10,000 cases of apple juice sold at Walmarts nationwide were voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer due to elevated arsenic levels.

Refresco Beverages’ product, bottled under the Great Value brand, was recalled because it “contains inorganic arsenic in excess of the industry guideline limit of 13.2 ppb (parts per billion),” according to the FDA’s enforcement report.

So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall.

According to the National Institutes of Health, arsenic can get into food because of its presence in soil and water. The agency further notes that inorganic arsenic, which was found in large amounts in this recall, is more toxic and poses greater health risks than organic arsenic.

The recall was initiated on August 15 and updated to a Class 2 recall on August 23. This means “a situation in which use of or contact with an unlawful product may result in temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or in which the likelihood of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”

The Great Value brand 100 percent apple juice was sold in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, according to the FDA. The recalled juice came in six-packs of 8-ounce plastic bottles.

The recalled apple juice was sold with the UPC code 0-78742-29655-5. The affected juice should be returned to the store where it was purchased or thrown away.

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