Walmart supplier Refresco has issued a voluntary recall for 9,535 cases of their ‘Great Value’ brand of apple juice sold across the US which were found to contain potentially harmful levels of inorganic arsenic.
The impacted cases, which were sold in six packs of eight-ounce bottles, are being recalled in 25 states in the east and south in addition to Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
The recall was originally published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) two weeks ago. However, it was recently updated to warn that consumption of the product may cause temporary adverse health consequences.
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The Clause II update added that the risk of serious health consequences was low.
According to the notice, levels of arsenic were noted at 13 parts per billion (ppb) – just above the 10ppb level which the FDA identifies as safe for consumption.
As per NBC news, a Walmart spokesperson said, “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority.”
“We have removed this product from our impacted stores and are working with the supplier to investigate,” they added.
The supplier, Florida-based company Refresco Beverages US Inc., said that it voluntarily recalled the products after it became aware that certain shipments had levels of inorganic arsenic that were “slightly above” the FDA’s level.
“The safety of consumers and the satisfaction of our customers are our top priorities,” the company said, according to NBC News.
“We are working diligently to address the situation.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies inorganic arsenic as a carcinogen and it can usually be traced to contaminated drinking water.
It is a natural component of the earth’s crust and can also be found in its organic form, for example, in seafood, which is considered less harmful.
Immediate symptoms of acute arsenic poisoning include vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
