Publix recalls baby food pouches due to lead levels

Publix is recalling fruit and vegetable baby food pouches due to elevated levels of lead, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

Greenwise baby food pouches recalled

Dig deeper:

Publix recalled 4-ounce Greenwise Pear, Kiwi, Spinach & Pea Baby Food pouches sold at over 1,400 stores.

The pouches were produced by Bowman Andros, a French company with a manufacturing plant in Mount Jackson, Virginia, according to the company's website. Publix issued the voluntary recall on May 9, but it wasn't added to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recall list until late Thursday.

The potential contamination was flagged by officials in North Carolina, the state that first identified a 2023 lead poisoning outbreak linked to tainted applesauce pouches that sickened more than 500 U.S. children.

Why you should care:

Routine sampling of the baby food pouches found lead levels at 13.4 parts per billion, according to North Carolina agriculture officials. That exceeds the FDA's recommended limit of 10 parts per billion for such products intended for babies and young children.

No illnesses have been reported, the company said.

What you can do:

Customers can return the pouches to local stores for a full refund.

Consumers with additional questions regarding this recall can call 1-800-242-1227 or visit the Publix website. 

2nd baby food pouch recall in 2 months

This is the second baby food pouch recall because of potential lead contamination in two months. In March, Target recalled more than 25,000 packages of its store brand Good & Gather Baby Pea, Zucchini, Kale & Thyme Vegetable Puree because of elevated lead levels.

North Carolina collaborates with the FDA to conduct routine testing of food products, officials said.

In 2023, state health officials investigated reports of lead poisoning in four children who consumed WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree. Those findings led to the detection of a nationwide outbreak linked to the pouches, which were widely sold in Dollar Tree and other stores. Tests showed they contained lead at levels 2,000 times higher than the FDA's maximum recommended level, as well as chromium.

Federal health officials eventually identified 566 cases of confirmed, probable or suspected cases of lead poisoning tied to the pouches in 44 states.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's childhood lead poisoning program investigated the applesauce outbreak and coordinated state and federal response. However, the program was eliminated in April as part of federal funding cuts under the Trump administration.

Big picture view:

There is no safe level of lead exposure, according to the CDC. While the heavy metal is toxic to people of all ages, it can be especially harmful to children, causing damage to the brain and nervous system and slows growth and development.

Heavy metals like lead can get into food products from soil, air, water or industrial processes, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.