Lead tainted applesauce pouches also contained another possible toxic substance, FDA says

An additional contaminant has been found in the recalled cinnamon applesauce pouches that were linked to lead poisoning in hundreds of U.S. children, according to federal health officials on Friday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revealed that high quantities of the chemical element chromium, which can be dangerous, were discovered in WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree and in cinnamon sourced from the pouches' production location. This news emerges as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 287 potential lead poisoning cases from 37 states in this outbreak. The FDA reported at least one adult with high blood lead levels after consuming the contaminated pouches, but the median age of victims is one. The type of chromium found in the products remains uncertain, say FDA investigators. There are several forms of chromium, with chromium III being considered an essential nutrient and chromium VI being a cancer-causing agent. Officials noted that the detected lead to chromium ratio in the factory corresponds with lead chromate, previously reported as a contaminant in certain spices. However, this evidence is not conclusive in confirming the contaminant in the pouches. Anyone who has consumed these products is urged to see a healthcare provider, the CDC advised, emphasizing that no level of lead consumption is safe. The recall includes WanaBana brand pouches sold at Dollar Tree stores and online, as well as those under the Schnucks and Weis brands in stores. Consumers are warned not to consume or serve these pouches, but to discard them, as they may still be in homes due to their long shelf life. This content came from the Associated Press Health and Science Department, which is supported by Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is responsible for all the content.