Fruit Pouch Recall Expands In PA As Illnesses Increase

PENNSYLVANIA — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising parents and caregivers not to buy or feed certain fruit puree and applesauce products to children because the product "may contain elevated levels of lead." Nationwide, at least seven people have reported illnesses from consuming the products, per the FDA; none of these cases are in Pennsylvania.

The recall now includes WanaBana brand apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches sold at several national retailers, and Weis brand cinnamon applesauce pouches, sold at Weis grocery stores.

Parents and caregivers of toddlers and young children who may have consumed these products are urged to contact their child’s doctor about getting a blood-lead test.

WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches are sold nationally and are available at Sam’s Club, Amazon, and Dollar Tree.

Sunbury-based Weis Markets has dozens of stores in Pennsylvania, including:

• 3644 MacArthur Road | Whitehall, PA
• 1551 S. Valley Forge Road | Lansdale, PA
• 2150 Bumble Bee Hollow Road | Mechanicsburg, PA
• 30 Primrose Lane | East Berlin, PA
• 6 Millbrook Plaza | Mill Hall, PA
• 3440 Grandview Drive | Macungie, PA
• 431 Dublin Pike | Perkasie, PA
• 200 West Ridge Pike, Suite 110 | Conshohocken, PA
• 73 Old Dublin Pike | Doylestown, PA
• 25 W. Germantown Pike | Norristown, PA
• 2100 County Line Road | Huntingdon Valley, PA
• 1424 Baltimore St. | Hanover, PA
• 2425 Schoenersville Road | Bethelehem, PA

The advisory happened after a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) investigation, which stemmed from four children who ate the pouches having lead poisoning. North Carolina health officials analyzed several lots of WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit purée and said they detected high concentrations of lead.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it reviewed and supported NCDHHS’s analytical findings and found that analytical results at this level could result in acute toxicity.

The investigation into this product is ongoing, and also includes Schnucks brand applesauce pouches and a variety pack (sold at Schnucks and Eatwell Markets grocery stores).

Lead is toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status. Lead exposure in children is often difficult to see. Most children have no obvious immediate symptoms. If there’s suspicion that a child may have been exposed to lead, health officials said parents should talk to their child's doctor about getting a blood test. Although lead can only be diagnosed through clinical testing, signs and symptoms of lead toxicity vary based on exposure.

Short-term exposure to lead could result in the following symptoms:

• Headache
• Abdominal pain/Colic
• Vomiting
• Anemia
• Longer term exposure could result in additional symptoms:
• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning
• Occasional abdominal discomfort
• Constipation
• Difficulty concentrating/Muscular exhaustibility
• Headache
• Tremor
• Weight loss

More information, including the product recall announcement, can be found on the FDA’s website.