3 WI Kids Possibly Sickened By Lead-Tainted Applesauce

MADISON, WI — The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is warning food retailers and consumers to throw away specific brands of recalled applesauce that may contain harmful levels of lead.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall for the following brands of applesauce puree that contain cinnamon:

• WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches
• Schnucks cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches
• Schnucks applesauce variety pack
• Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches

As of Dec. 5, the FDA has received 64 reports of "adverse events" potentially linked to recalled products, with all incidents involving kids under 6 years of age. Three cases have been confirmed in Wisconsin.

Other states with confirmed cases include CO, FL, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MN, NE, OH, OR, TX, and WV.

Under state guidelines, a child has lead poisoning when their blood lead level measures greater than or equal to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL).

“If you think your child may have eaten one of the applesauce products included in the recall, then ask your health care provider for a blood lead test," said Wisconsin DHS Secretary-designee Kirsten Johnson.

Stores that sold WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches include Amazon, Dollar Tree, and other online outlets.

Meanwhile, Schnucks-brand cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches and variety pack were sold at Schnucks and Eatwell Markets grocery stores, and Weis-brand cinnamon applesauce pouches were sold at Weis grocery stores.

Symptoms of lead toxicity include:

Short-term exposure: Headache, abdominal pain/colic, vomiting; anemia.

Longer-term exposure: Irritability; lethargy; fatigue; muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning; constipation; difficulty concentrating/muscular weakness; tremor; weight loss.

"FDA has initiated an onsite inspection at the Austrofoods facility located in Ecuador," the agency said Dec. 5.

"Ingredient sample collection is underway. The FDA is continuing to coordinate with Ecuadorian authorities on the investigation of the source of elevated lead levels in cinnamon apple pouches. In addition, the Ecuadorian authorities report that Negasmart's cinnamon had higher levels of lead than allowed by Ecuador and that Negasmart, the supplier of cinnamon to Austrofoods, is currently under an Ecuadorian administrative sanctions process to determine the responsible party for the contamination."