(PATCH) – Federal health officials are investigating whether cinnamon applesauce pouches linked to high blood lead levels among children in 22 states, including California, were intentionally contaminated, Politico and other news outlets are reporting.
The Food and Drug Administration is investigating elevated lead levels in apple cinnamon applesauce pouches sold under three brands — Weis, WanaBana and Schnucks — and distributed by Amazon, Dollar Tree and other online retailers.
All three of the now-recalled applesauce brands were made at an Austrofood plant in Ecuador, where FDA officials announced last week they were focusing their investigation. The agency said health officials in Ecuador found that cinnamon from Austrofood’s supplier had higher levels of lead than the country allows. The company, Negasmart, is facing sanctions while officials there track down the source of the cinnamon, the FDA said.
