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NC AG calling on FDA to require lead testing in food made for babies

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published February 20, 2024 at 6:36 AM EST
The FDA is advising parents and caregivers not to buy or feed WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches to children because the product may contain elevated levels of lead.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The FDA is advising parents and caregivers not to buy or feed WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches to children because the product may contain elevated levels of lead.

North Carolina’s attorney general is calling for better testing of food products for babies after high lead levels were found in applesauce pouches that sickened small children in North Carolina.

Attorney General Josh Stein and 20 other attorneys general are calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to require the baby food industry to test all finished food products for lead and other toxic metals.

He said it's unsettling that companies aren’t already testing baby food for toxic metals and lead, and the FDA needs to act now to protect kids from dangerous products.

Cinnamon applesauce puree from the brands WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis were recalled after the CDC said their products contained lead, and so far there have been reports of 101 confirmed cases, 284 probable cases, and 37 suspected cases of lead poisoning.

At least six of those cases were in North Carolina.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston