The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recalling Walmart’s Great Value apple juice because the product allegedly contains potentially harmful levels of inorganic arsenic.
The FDA’s Class II recall means the product could be damaging to people’s health but the consequences are likely “temporary or medically reversible.” Inorganic arsenic is more dangerous than organic arsenic, per the FDA, but overall danger is still isolated.
The impacted juices were made by Florida-based manufacturer Refresco Beverages and sold by Walmart under the “Great Value” brand in 8-ounce Apple Juice PET plastic bottles sold in six packs, said the FDA.
There were 9,535 cases of Great Value brand apple juice recalled sold in 25 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The recalled juices have a UPC of 0-78742-29655-5 and a “best if used by” date of Dec. 28, 2024.
Walmart stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts sold the juice six packs, as well as Alabama, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia, according to the FDA.
A spokesperson for Refresco did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) labels inorganic arsenic as a substance that causes cancer.
“We have removed this product from our impacted stores and are working with the supplier to investigate,” Walmart Senior Director of Communications Molly Blakeman said in a statement to CNN.
Testing for arsenic is routine and low levels of inorganic and organic arsenic are found in many food products, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Symptoms of exposure to either type can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, numbness and muscle cramping.
The apple juices were found to have arsenic levels of 13.2 parts per billion, said the FDA. In June 2023, the FDA issued industry guidance specifically for apple juice, stating that the upper limit of inorganic arsenic should be 10 parts per billion.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring mineral that is toxic to humans, according to the FDA’s website.
“The potential for long-term adverse health effects from consuming food contaminated with arsenic vary depending on the level of arsenic in the food; age of the consumer; length, amount, and frequency of exposure to arsenic in the food; and other exposures happening at the same time— either to arsenic from other sources, or other contaminants or to beneficial nutrients,” the FDA said.
Exposure to high levels of arsenic can be particularly dangerous for young children, and “is associated with adverse neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavioral difficulties, and lowered IQ.”
For adults, long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic has been associated with skin disorders and increased risks for skin, bladder, and lung cancers. Short-term exposure to “very high” amounts can cause nausea, vomiting, bruising and numbness.
Walmart released a document listing the stores across the country with recalls.
