The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington entered a consent decree between the FDA and Valley Processing of Sunnyside, Washington to stop the company from distributing adulterated juice products until they comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The complaint, filed on November 6, 2020, states that Valley Processing juice products allegedly contained inorganic arsenic and patulin toxins at levels that can cause health problems. This juice was distributed for use in school lunch programs. This consent decree prohibits Valley Processing from receiving, preparing, processing, packing, holding, labeling, and/or distributing FDA regulated products until it completes corrective actions. The company had stopped its juice processing activities, but they … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Finds Higher Levels of Arsenic in Starkey Spring Water
Consumer Reports finds arsenic in Starkey Spring Water at higher levels than other brands. Starkey is a bottled water product made by Whole Foods that is sold on Amazon. That's alarming enough, but the level of arsenic in the water is "potentially harmful," according to CR's report. More than a year ago, CR published another list of bottled waters with higher arsenic levels which also included Starkey. Consumer Reports tested dozens of bottled water brands and found that Starkey Spring Water, which was introduced by Whole Foods in 2015, had at least three times the level of arsenic of every other brand they teated. The arsenic levels in that water ranged from 9.49 to 9.56 parts per billion (ppb). That is below the level the federal government sets, which is 10 ppb. But Consumer … [Read more...]
FDA Releases Infant Rice Cereal Arsenic Tests; Improvement Noted
The FDA is releasing information about their testing of infant rice cereal arsenic results that show manufacturers have made "significant progress" reducing levels of inorganic arsenic, the most dangerous type, in their products. There are two types of arsenic: organic arsenic, which is mainly found in seafood and may not be toxic to humans, and inorganic arsenic, which is highly toxic. Organic arsenic bonds with carbon, but inorganic arsenic bonds with a non-carbon element such as oxygen. Most people consume inorganic arsenic from drinking water and foods. A study conducted in 2017 found that there is six times more arsenic in infant rice cereal than other types of cereals. Rice can contain arsenic because of how it is grown. The rice plants are planted in old cotton fields in … [Read more...]
Cellect Products Recalls Unflavored Powder For Arsenic and Lead
Port Jefferson Station, NY, Cellect Products Inc. and Oglethorpe Ltd. are recalling lot #041907 of Cellect Unflavored Powder & Essentials Factor Cell Synergy Unflavored Powder. because they have unsafe levels of arsenic and lead. Long term exposure to inorganic arsenic is associated with skin disorders and increased risks for skin, bladder, and lung cancers. Long term exposure to lead can cause learning disabilities and lower IQ. No reports of adverse reactions have been received to date. Taking more than two servings daily of this drink mix product could result in an accumulation of lead in the body. Lead poisoning can damage the nervous system and internal organs. Acute lead poisoning can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, diarrhea, weight loss, and bloody or … [Read more...]
Peñafiel Unflavored Mineral Spring Water Recalled For Arsenic
Keurig Dr. Pepper is recalling Peñafiel unflavored mineral spring water products that were imported from Mexico because of the present of violative levels of arsenic. Arsenic, when present in the diet at very high levels, well above those detected in recent samples of the product, is associated with many chronic illnesses, including cancer and developmental problems. Arsenic is found in nature, including aquifers that are sources of mineral water. The levels in the water can vary over time. Keurig Dr. Pepper has installed enhanced filtration systems at its facilities that produce this product, and the water now being produced is within regulatory guidelines. The recall does not state whether the arsenic is in the organic or inorganic form. Inorganic arsenic is generally more … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Finds Arsenic in Bottled Water
Consumer Reports has found arsenic at unsafe levels in some brands of bottled water. The organization is urging the government to recall those brands and to implement better federal standards for this product. Many people around the country rely on bottled water because their tap water doesn't taste good or they don't trust its quality. Unfortunately, bottled water can have issues and be contaminated with unsafe compounds. One of those compounds is arsenic. Arsenic is found everywhere, in the soil, air, and water, and it is found in groundwater, the source for many bottled water brands. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that, when ingested, arsenic can cause arsenic poisoning, skin cancer, developmental problems, memory problems, diabetes, pulmonary disease, and … [Read more...]
New Study Finds Arsenic in Infant Rice Cereal
A new study conducted by Healthy Babies Bright Future (HBBF) has found that there is six times more arsenic in infant rice cereal than in other types of cereals. Arsenic is a heavy metal that can cause health problems including cancer, neurological problems, and reduced IQ. Rice contains more arsenic than other grains because of the way it grows. Rice paddies are flooded with water, which aids the absorption of the heavy metal through the roots of the plant. Rice plants absorb ten times more arsenic than other grains while they grow. And rice is grown where arsenic is abundant in the soil. The grain is often planted in old cotton fields in the southern United States, where arsenic pesticides were sprayed for years. Testing by Consumer Reports in 2012 first brought this issue to … [Read more...]