Fruit Recalls Sweep Nation Ahead of Holidays

The fruit was sold individually and in 2-pound bags at retailers including Albertsons, Publix, Safeway and Walmart between May 1, 2022, and Nov. 15, 2023. The bags were branded with “HMC Farms” or “Signature Farms.”

Although the recalled fruit is no longer available for sale in stores, the CDC is concerned that products may still be in people’s homes and potentially stored in their freezers. Anyone who may have recalled fruits in their home should throw them away or return them to the store. Make sure to clean any surfaces that may have touched the recalled fruit.

Applesauce

Cinnamon apple puree and applesauce products were recalled for lead contamination. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes the cinnamon used in the products is the likely source of contamination.

The recalled apple products have been linked to at least 34 illnesses, primarily affecting children, across 22 states.

The recalled products are:

• WanaBana cinnamon fruit puree pouches sold nationwide at retailers including Amazon, Dollar Tree and other online stores.
• Schnucks cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches and variety packs sold at Schnucks and Eatwell Markets.
• Weis-brand cinnamon applesauce pouches sold at Weis grocery stores

In a sample of WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Puree collected from Dollar Tree, the FDA detected lead levels of 2.18 parts per million (ppm), 200 times greater than the “action level” the FDA has proposed in draft guidance for fruit purees intended for babies and young children. 

Anyone who has these products should carefully open the pouch and empty its contents into the trash before discarding to prevent others from salvaging it.

Children are the most susceptible to lead toxicity. Short-term exposure could result in headache, abdominal pain, vomiting and anemia. Long-term exposure may cause irritability, lethargy, fatigue, muscle aches or muscle prickling/burning, constipation, difficulty concentrating/muscular weakness, tremor and weight loss.

While the majority of children may not exhibit immediate symptoms of lead exposure, suspicion of lead poisoning can be confirmed through a blood test.