MARYLAND — Walmart has recalled 9,500 cases of apple juice from store shelves in Maryland and elsewhere because the content of naturally occurring arsenic exceeded the Food and Drug Administration's recommended limit.
The recall involves six-packs of Walmart Great Value 8-ounce 100% apple juice bottles packed in 8-ounce PET plastic bottles. According to the FDA announcement, the affected products have a best-by date of December 28, 2024 and a UPC code of 0-78742-29655-5.
The juice is being recalled because “the product contains inorganic arsenic in excess of the limits set by industry guidelines.”
The juice has been recalled from 26 states and territories, including AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, ME, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT and WV.
Immediate symptoms of arsenic poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Long-term exposure can cause skin changes such as darkening and lesions, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
According to the FDA, inorganic arsenic is more toxic to humans than the naturally occurring mineral arsenic, and exposure to it can have more serious health effects. The Environmental Protection Agency has designated inorganic arsenic a carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer.
The levels found in the recalled apple juice bottles are low enough that the FDA doesn't expect them to pose any significant health risks.
The FDA has not publicly released reports of illnesses possibly linked to the apple juice recall.
Maryland has 48 Walmart stores and 11 Sam's Club stores.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.