CDC Reports 566 Lead Poisoning Cases Linked to Recalled Applesauce Pouches

Researchers urge expanded routine blood lead testing for children, warning that contamination may be more widespread than initially detected.

A new federal report indicates more than 500 cases of lead poisoning have been linked to recalled applesauce pouches distributed over the past few years, with most incidents involving young children who may face long-term health risks from the toxic metal.

According to findings published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Report on April 24, children under two years old accounted for more than half of the lead poisoning cases linked to contaminated applesauce pouches recalled in 2023 and 2024, which were tainted with cinnamon ingredients that had dangerously high levels of lead.

In October 2023, routine testing in North Carolina linked four cases of lead poisoning to children’s applesauce pouches, leading to a number of applesauce pouch recalls, including WanaBana, Schnucks and Weis brands.

Ultimately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified contaminated cinnamon as the source of lead in the applesauce pouches, leading to recalls of nearly 3 million units nationwide.

As a result of the associated lead poisoning cases, a wave of recalled applesauce lawsuits were filed against manufacturers by those impacted, causing WanaBana to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Following the recalls, the CDC urged health officials to conduct routine blood lead testing to help better protect children. The call for further testing led to the findings of the current CDC report, indicating 566 cases of lead poisoning linked to the recalls were confirmed across the U.S., including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, from November 22, 2023 to April 12, 2024.

According to the CDC, more than 55% of the cases were among children younger than 2 years old, while 96% of cases were among children younger than 6 years old.

Health investigators determined that the cinnamon may have been deliberately contaminated a supplier, who was attempting to enhance the color of the cinnamon. In doing so, they sourced tainted cinnamon from Ecuador that contained lead and chromium.

Roughly 20% of individuals affected reported experiencing lead poisoning symptoms after eating contaminated applesauce pouches. Most cases were reported in New York, Missouri and Arizona. Those states accounted for nearly one-third of all cases.

The CDC considers lead poisoning to occur at blood lead levels greater than 3.5 μg/dL in a person older than 3 months. The average blood lead level of patients who were tested was 7.2 μg/dL.

Applesauce pouches collected from children’s homes tested positive for lead in concentrations ranging from 1.9 to 3 parts per million, roughly 300 times the recommended action level for fruit purees. 

CDC researchers said the high number of children poisoned by the applesauce highlights a need for improving and promoting routine childhood lead testing, especially among young children. More so, doctors and public health officials should consider less common sources of lead exposure, such as food, when screening for lead poisoning.

Lead Poisoning Risks

Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can cause permanent brain damage or other severe, long-term health consequences, especially to children, who are still developing and often do not show immediate signs or symptoms of lead exposure.

Even short-term lead exposure can cause symptoms like headache, abdominal pain, vomiting and anemia. Long-term exposure can cause irritability, lethargy, fatigue, muscle aches, constipation, difficulty concentrating, tremors and weight loss.

Prior studies have linked childhood lead exposure to changes to the brain’s structural integrity, which can result in cognitive problems and reduced IQ scores later in life. Children can experience long-term brain damage even at low levels of lead exposure.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), there is no safe lead exposure level for children. Any exposure can increase the risk of developing injuries to the nervous system and brain. It can also cause seizures, convulsions, mental retardation, delayed growth, obesity, coma and even death.