Unprecedented Levels of Lead Found in Applesauce Due to Intentional Act
As of the most recent “official” count, more that three dozen young children have been sickened by shockingly high levels of lead found in applesauce pouches. Officials say that these pouches were tainted with the heavy metal during manufacturing at a plant in Ecuador, where the culpable ingredient is believed to be cinnamon. The cinnamon ingredient tested was found to contain levels over 2,000 times the maximum proposed levels by the FDA – another way of saying that is to explain that a child has consumed more lead in one serving of the tainted WanaBana applesauce than he or she would normally consume if they ate a daily serving of untainted applesauce every day for six years.
WanaBana Cinnamon Applesauce Contaminated by Negasmart Cinnamaon
The sample came from either powdered or ground cinnamon from Negasmart, according to AP News. Negasmart is an Ecuadorian company that supplied the spice to Austrofoods, which made the pouches for Wanabana. The applesauce pouches were subsequently sold under three brands – WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis. These products were recalled in October, so they should no longer be available on store shelves (though there have been reports of product remaining on the shelves after the recall date at some retail locations. If consumers still have them, officials urge them to throw them away or take them back for a refund.
Possible Additives Include Red Brick, Red Lead Salt, Lead Oxide and Chromate
How, exactly, has lead wound up in the cinnamon in applesauce pouches? With the FDA stating it might have been the result of an intentional act, food experts are left pondering “why” a company would engage in such a callous act. At least one food expert has explained, that if it is intentional, it may have been done for “economic reasons”, as components such as red brick, red lead salt, lead oxide and chromate, all of which “mirror cinnamon’s red color” have been added to increase the weight, and hence the market value, of the spice. Although unsavory, it is apparently not uncommon, and can most definitely have adverse effects on the consumer’s health.
Why are Children Most as Risk?
In this case, it is extremely important, as lead poisoning can be incredibly serious for young children (usually identified as age 6 and under) who are in the vital developmental state of their lives. Some symptoms of lead poisoning (in children) include vomiting, constipation, hearing loss, seizures, fatigue, loss of appetite, and irritability. Young children are particularly vulnerable because they are still developing both mentally and physically, and so other symptoms (longer range symptoms) for this group include developmental delays, learning difficulties, decreased brain neuroplasticity, increases in autism, ADHD, behavior challenges, lower IQ, lower standardized test scores, and even increase in violent criminal activity. At high levels, lead poisoning can even be fatal, which is why one national lead poisoning lawyer states it is vitally important to have all exposed children tested for lead poisoning.
