Washington — Walmart has recalled nearly 10,000 cases of apple juice sold in stores across the United States that contained potentially dangerous levels of inorganic arsenic.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the recall a more urgent classification Friday after making its initial announcement Aug. 15. The new classification says the affected product may temporarily cause adverse health effects but is unlikely to cause serious or irreversible medical problems.
The recall involves 9,535 cases of Great Value brand apple juice sold in 25 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Florida-based manufacturer Refresco Beverages US Inc. voluntarily recalled the contaminated 8-ounce six-packs of juice after discovering levels of the chemical contaminant exceeding industry standards.
A Refresco spokesperson did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Sunday.
“The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” Walmart spokeswoman Molly Blakeman said in a statement. “We have removed this product from our affected stores and are working with the supplier to investigate.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, very low levels of inorganic and organic arsenic are present in many food products. Testing is routine because slightly elevated levels of either form can cause symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, numbness, and muscle cramps.
Inorganic arsenic is more toxic to humans than the naturally occurring form of mineral arsenic, and the health effects of exposure are more serious, according to the FDA. The Environmental Protection Agency has classified inorganic arsenic as a carcinogen, meaning it causes cancer.
The levels found in the recalled apple juice bottles are low enough that the FDA does not expect them to cause such serious health consequences.
The FDA has not shared any reports of possible illnesses associated with the apple juice recall.
