The authorities of health of USA expanded an investigation into packages of applesauce and cinnamon that could be contaminated with lead and are promoted for consumption by children, amid reports of more poisonings and additional product recalls.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Friday that it received reports of seven cases of poisoning in at least five states possibly related to contaminated puree.
Two new companies, Schnucks Markets of St. Louis and Weis Markets of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, announced they were recalling certain cinnamon applesauce products because they may contain high levels of lead. WanaBana of Coral Gables, Florida, previously recalled all lots and expiration dates on its cinnamon applesauce.
Consumption of contaminated products can cause “acute toxicity”, the FDA indicated. Parents and caregivers should not purchase or serve cinnamon applesauce products, which are sold through a variety of retailers, including Amazon, Dollar Tree, and Schnucks and Eatwell grocery stores. Markets.
Children and others who have consumed the products should be tested for possible lead poisoning, the agency stressed.
The investigation began in North Carolina, where health authorities are investigating reports about four children who were detected with high levels of lead in their blood linked to the WanaBana product. State health authorities analyzed several batches of the product and detected concentrations “extremely high” of lead. The FDA confirmed the results.
The FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network is leading the investigation, in cooperation with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and municipal health authorities.
Lead is toxic to people of all ages, but can be especially harmful to children. Most children do not have obvious symptoms, so it is important that exposed children be tested for lead levels in their blood. Short-term exposure to lead can cause symptoms including headache, abdominal pain, vomiting and anemia, the FDA said.
Heavy metals like lead can enter foods through soil, water or industrial processes, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Lead exposure can be extremely harmful to a child’s health, causing damage to the brain and nervous system, and slowing growth and development. There is no known safe level of lead exposure, the AAP added.
Source: AP
Source: Gestion
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