Apple juice may be a refreshing drink to beat the August heat, but if you’ve recently purchased any of the beverage from Walmart stores, you might want to check the label. That’s because the retail giant has recently recalled thousands of cases of apple juice sold under its own Great Value brand label due to potentially elevated levels of arsenic. Here’s everything you need to know:
What is being recalled?
The recall is for Great Value apple juice packaged in a six-pack of 8-oz. bottles. These packages have a “Best if Used by” date of “DEC2824 CT89-6” and a Universal Product Code (UPC) of “ 0-78742-29655-5.”
In total, 9,535 cases of the apple juice have been recalled.
According to an enforcement report by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the recall was initiated on August 15 and given a Class II classification on August 23. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a Class II recall as “a potential health hazard situation in which there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from eating the food.”
In a statement to Fast Company, Walmart spokesperson Kelly Hellbusch said that “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” adding that Walmart has “removed this product from our impacted stores and are working with the supplier to investigate.”
Walmart-owned Sam’s Club was not impacted by the recall, the retailer tells us.
The apple juice was produced by Refresco, a Dutch manufacturer with U.S. headquarters in Tampa, Florida.
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Refresco North America confirmed the recall and acknowledged that certain lots of its apple juice contained “slightly” elevated arsenic.
“At this time there are no reported complaints or incidents of illness caused by the product,” the company added. “Per the FDA, it is not possible to completely prevent arsenic from entering the food supply, yet exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic can have adverse health effects. The safety of consumers and the satisfaction of our customers are our top priorities. We are working diligently to address the situation.” (edited)
Why are the products being recalled?
Per the enforcement report, the recalled apple juice “contains inorganic arsenic above action level set in industry guidance.” The tested cases were found to contain 13.2 parts per billion (ppb) of arsenic, which is over the FDA’s requirement that inorganic arsenic in apple juice remains below 10 ppb.
Where was the recalled apple juice sold?
The recalled Great Value apple juice was sold in Walmart stores in Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, as well as the following 25 U.S. states:
Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Has the apple juice caused any illnesses?
So far, the FDA has not shared any reports of illnesses associated with the recall. Refresco also says that it has not received any reports of complaints associated with the product.
What should I do if I have the recalled apple juice?
Do not consume it. Instead, return it to the place of purchase or safely discard it.
Walmart has not published a press release with specific guidance on the apple juice recall, but affected customers can reach Walmart via its Help Center or its customer service team at 1-800-925-6278.