The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has upgraded this month’s recall of Great Value apple juice sold at Walmart to Class I, the agency’s highest threat alert.
Refresco Beverages, which produced the eight-ounce six-packs, recalled nearly 10,000 cases of the beverages because they are suspected of having higher-than-allowed levels of inorganic arsenic.
The recalled apple juice was sold at Walmart stores in Alabama, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia.
The recalled products can be identified by the label, declaring a "Best if Used by DEC2824" code and the UPC number 0-78742-29655-5. The recall was issued on Aug. 15.
What to do
Consumers should not drink the recalled apple juice but should discard it, or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has identified inorganic arsenic as a carcinogen. Consumed over a long period of time it can pose significant health risks.
The original recall was issued as a Class II. It was upgraded after testing revealed the elevated levels of arsenic in the beverages.