Dozens of children suffer ‘lead poisoning’ from fruit pouches as thousands of products urgently recalled
DOZENS of children have suffered suspected lead poisoning after eating fruit pouches, the Food and Drug Administration said.
The agency received 64 reports spanning 27 states involving kids under the age of six between October 17 and December 1.
Each suffered “adverse events” after consuming Wanabana, Schnuck and Weis branded products, officials said.
These were sold by American grocery chains, including Dollar Tree, and online retailers such as Amazon.
All pouches were apple sauces flavoured with cinnamon.
The FDA is investigating the spice, from Ecuador, as the likely cause of the issues, and factory inspections and sample analysis are ongoing.
A separate probe by Ecuadorian authorities found that the cinnamon, which came from the supplier Negasmart, had levels of lead that exceeded what is allowed by the country.
Three apple sauce products have been recalled – Wanabana applesauce pouches sold nationwide and online, and Schnucks and Weis pouches sold regionally at grocery store chains individually and in variety packs – across the US, Canada, Cuba and the United Arab Emirates.
An FDA spokesperson said: “The FDA is continuing to coordinate with Ecuadorian authorities on the investigation of the source of elevated lead levels in cinnamon apple pouches.
“In addition, the Ecuadorian authorities report that Negasmart’s cinnamon had higher levels of lead than allowed by Ecuador and that Negasmart, the supplier of cinnamon to Austrofoods, is currently under an Ecuadorian administrative sanctions process to determine the responsible party for the contamination.”
Anyone who has bought the products should not eat them and throw them away immediately, they added.
Lead is toxic to humans, and exposure can cause serious health problems, particularly in young children.
This includes brain damage, slowed growth and development, learning and behavioural issues.
In severe cases at high levels, it can be fatal.
Heavy metals like lead can get into food products from soil, air, water or industrial processes, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There is no safe level of lead exposure, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses a marker of 3.5 micrograms per decilitre to identify children with higher levels than most.
The affected children’s blood lead levels ranged from four to 29 micrograms per decilitre.
As of Wednesday, cases have been reported in 27 states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
One parent claims his 17-month-old son started “losing weight at an alarming rate” after eating the purée since August, Miami New Times reports.
He was also “crying uncontrollably” and “passed white stool on multiple occasions”.
Tests later revealed the toddler had 15.3 micrograms per decilitre of lead in his blood, it is said.
Symptoms of lead poisoning
LEAD poisoning occurs when the substance builds up in the body.
But even small amounts can cause serious health problems, especially in children under the age of six.
Initially, lead poisoning can be hard to detect and most youngsters will have no obvious immediate symptoms.
But short-term exposure to lead can result in:
- Headaches
- Abdominal pain/colic
- Vomiting
- Anaemia
Longer-term exposure can also trigger symptoms such as:
- Irritability
- Lethargy
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning
- Constipation
- Difficulty concentrating
- Developmental delays
- Learning difficulties
- Muscular weakness
- Tremors
- Hearing loss
- Seizures
- Weight loss
- Mood disorders
- Reduced sperm count/abnormal sperm
- Miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth
Source: FDA and Mayo Clinic