Dollar Tree Sold Lead-Infused Applesauce Pouches For Weeks After Recall, FDA Says

Despite a recall notice and multiple warnings from the Food and Drug Administration, Dollar Tree continued to sell applesauce pouches containing lead for weeks, federal officials say.

Dollar Tree continued to keep lead-tainted applesauce pouches on shelves for weeks after a recall was issued, the FDA said.
Photo Credit: *Michael Rivera Wikipedia/FDA*

Cecilia Levine

06/19/2024 8:15 a.m.

The popular retail chain was issued a letter from the FDA this month regarding the WanaBana fruit puree pouches, distributed by Negasmart.

"As described below, laboratory analysis of multiple lots of WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches, including finished product samples collected from Dollar Tree stores, detected extremely high concentrations of lead," the letter reads.

"... you continued to offer the recalled WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches on store shelves well after the recall was initiated, despite FDA’s numerous attempts to bring this serious issue to your attention."

The initial recall was issued in Oct. 29, 2023, after children were found with elevated blood lead levels, and testing of WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches found extremely high concentrations of lead.

Between Oct. 29 and Dec. 19, 2023, the recall was ineffective at Dollar Tree stores as the lead-tainted product remained on Dollar Tree Shelves, according to the FDA.

"Despite numerous attempts to bring this serious issue to your attention, your firm continued to offer adulterated Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches on store shelves, leaving children at risk of exposure to these adulterated products," the FDA said in its letter.

"Despite your assurance that all Dollar Tree stores had pulled the recalled product from store shelves and destroyed it, FDA continued to receive reports of recalled product being on store shelves at Dollar Tree stores. Locking the product from sale at the stores also proved ineffective, the FDA said, as the product continued to sell.

Dollar Tree provided information regarding its "corrective actions" to effectuate the recall, however, as of June 11, 2024, Dollar Tree "has not provided FDA with any information demonstrating that long-term, sustainable corrections have been implemented throughout your organization to prevent adulterated food from being received in interstate commerce and subsequently offered for sale in the future," the FDA said.

Dollar Tree was given 15 working days to detail specific steps taken to address violations and include an explanation of each step being taken to prevent the recurrence of violations, along with copies of related documentation.

In a statement emailed to CBS News, Dollar Tree said it took "immediate action" in executing the recall, and continues to cooperate with the FDA.

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