A number of cinnamons used as an ingredient in the recalled WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree contain lead levels that are more than 2,000 hours higher than proposed safety limits, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday.
The FDA tests wide species and investigations in the 65 houses of poisoning sheets to people in the US, which are linked to contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches.
In October 2009, WanaBana USA announced a recall of its apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches because of high lead levels. In November, the recall is expanded to include 2 other products for the company: the supermarket brands Schnucks applesauce pouches s cinnamon and Weis cinnamon applesauce.
The FDA has said that the cinnamon in the products is most likely due to contaminated contamination.
The applesauce pouches is made at a facility in Ecuador on Carrer Austrofoods. FDA researchers sampled cinnamon at that facility. The cinnamon comes from another supplier in Ecuador, Negasmart.
The FDA said testing showed that the cinnamon samples contained «extremely high levels of lead.» One sample contained lead levels of 5,110 parts per million, about 2,000 times higher than proposed international safety standards of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization of 2.5 parts per million for spices that include cinnamon.
Another sample contained lead levels of 2,270 parts per million.
Laurie Beyranevand, director of the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law and Graduate School, finds frightening findings.
«These levels are far beyond the realm of what might be expected or considered safe,» she said.
The US does not broadly limit lead levels in foods. In January, the FDA will propose limits for read and processed baby food.
The FDA is on Monday, which is not surprising that the products are WanaBana, which do not contain cinnamons at risk for contamination.
Last week, Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health announced that two additional WanaBana products had tested positive for elevated lead levels — a mango passionfruit banana smoothie and an organic mango puree — but the FDA said it has tested at least 136 samples of other non cinnamon flavored WanaBana products, including the two product handles, and “all have been negative for elevated lead levels,” according to the agency. The mango passionfruit banana smoothie can still be found on Dollar Tree’s website, although it is listed as currently “unavailable.”
The agency has also confirmed that the Negasmart supplier does not ship its cinnamon directly to its American, Negasmart’s other customers.
On Friday, the FDA announced to the state that the contamination of cinnamon pouches is the result of economically motivated adulteration, also called «food fraud.» NBC News was unable to reach Negasmart.
According to the FDA, food fraud can happen when a cheaper ingredient is added to the product to bulk it up, but it is not disclosed. One example highlighted by agency is when you read-based dyes added to spices to obtain the product in a certain color.
WanaBana said it is working with the FDA in the investigation of its products.
In the month of June, the company said that its family reimbursements are applied to the watches «all together for $150» for expensive medical visits and tests related to lead poisoning.
This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.
