FDA Expands Apple Juice Recall: Products Sold at Walgreens, Aldi May Also Contain Arsenic

An additional 133,500 cases of apple juice have been recalled due to arsenic concerns, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The affected products were sold at Walmart, Walgreens, Aldi, BJ’s, Dollar General, and other stores across the country.

This latest recall is an expansion of an FDA notice posted in August, which warned consumers about high arsenic levels in nearly 10,000 cases of Great Value apple juice sold at Walmart.

Refresco Beverages, Inc., produced the possibly contaminated products and issued the voluntary recall after it discovered certain cases of its 100% apple juice products had arsenic levels “slightly above the FDA’s 10 ppb (parts per billion) action level.”

This particular recall involves various brands, including Market Basket, Nice!, Wellsley Farms, and Weis 100% apple juice. The FDA has a full list of impacted products online, as well as the specific product codes and best-by dates so consumers can identify the recalled apple juice.

The initial recall notice posted in August was categorized as a Class II recall, meaning the elevated arsenic levels in the product could cause temporary or medically reversible health issues, with a remote chance of serious health consequences. The latest recall has not yet been classified.

For now, there have not been any reports of illness connected to the recall. Refresco’s August recall affected consumers in 26 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. But the products and brands included in the expanded recall were distributed in the following states and territories:

• Alabama
• Florida
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Maine
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Puerto Rico

Refresco did not respond to Health’s request for comment by deadline.

How Does Arsenic End Up in Apple Juice?

Arsenic is a natural component of the Earth’s crust and can be found in the air, water, and land, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Arsenic comes in two forms: organic and inorganic.

Inorganic arsenic—the type linked with this recall—is considered the more toxic form of the compound. People can become exposed to inorganic arsenic when they drink contaminated water or grow or prepare food using contaminated water.

It’s not totally clear how the recalled apple juice ended up with elevated arsenic levels. However, pesticides, contaminated soil or water, or some issue during the apple juice production process could have played a role, Jordan Kuiper, PhD, epidemiologist and assistant professor at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, told Health.

Should Consumers Be Concerned?

People who are routinely exposed to higher levels of arsenic have a greater risk of developing cancers of the skin, lung, and bladder, as well as a higher risk of developing metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, Kuiper explained. Arsenic exposure is especially concerning for children and pregnant people.

“Inorganic arsenic compounds are generally considered more toxic, and repeated exposure to even low doses can negatively impact health,” he said.

But Kuiper also stressed that “the dose makes the poison.” In other words, being exposed to small amounts of arsenic likely isn’t an issue. But if you think you may have consumed a large amount of recalled apple juice or are otherwise concerned about the amount of arsenic you’ve been exposed to, it may be a good idea to keep an eye out for symptoms of arsenic poisoning.

That can include skin lesions, a cough and shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and numbness and tingling, Daniel Ganjian, MD, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, told Health.5 If you think you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact a healthcare provider, he recommended.