The United States Food and Drug Administration is investigating the overseas plant that made applesauce pouches that contained high levels of lead, sickening dozens of children in the U.S. and sparking a massive recall.
The FDA is conducting an onsite inspection at the Austrofoods facility in Ecuador and collecting samples of the ingredients.
The agency said that contaminated cinnamon is believed to be the likely source of the lead in the applesauce, which were sold in the U.S. at Dollar Tree and other retailers, as well as online.
Health officials in Ecuador found that cinnamon in the fruit pouches had higher levels of lead than what the country allows, and the supplier, Negasmart, is facing sanctions.
The pouches were recalled after North Carolina officials reported cases of children with high blood lead levels after eating the applesauce, and so far the FDA says it has received 64 reports of children in the U.S. under the age of 6 with high lead levels after eating the pouches.
