Apple Juice Recall: Brand Sold at ALDI, Walmart Cited for High Arsenic Levels

An apple juice recall that began early last week has been expanded amid growing concerns of elevated arsenic levels in the drink.

CBS News is reporting that the recall initially began during the week of Sept. 2 and only included a Great Value brand of apple juice sold by Walmart. 10,000 cases were affected by the initial recall, and customers in 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia were affected.

Now, however, the apple juice recall has been expanded. The outlet confirms that 133,500 cases of different brands of the beverage have now been affected by the recall, and the brands have been sold by Florida-based manufacturer Refresco Beverages.

Walmart was the first to announce the expanded recall, which the retail giant did on Friday, Sept. 6. “[The] products [contain] inorganic arsenic above action level set in guidance to industry,” read the updated announcement.

Apple Juice Recall: What You Need To Do

“The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. We have removed the products from our impacted stores and are working with the supplier to investigate,” a spokesperson for Walmart told CBS News in an emailed statement.

The Great Value brand at Walmart has been affected by the apple juice recall. The affected beverages were sold in six-packs of 8-ounce plastic bottles and 96-ounce bottles. Meanwhile, ALDI is recalling 64-ounce plastic bottles of Nature’s Nectar 100% Apple Juice.

“Aldi puts the safety and integrity of the products it sells first. If customers have products affected by this recall, they are advised to discard it immediately or return it to their local store for a full refund,” the supermarket posted in a notice on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Sedgwick Brand Protection’s 2024 State of the Nation Recall Index study states that between 2022 and 2023, there was an 11% increase in product recalls, which was a level not seen in seven years. Sedwick stated in a news release that 3,301 recalls in five industries — automotive, consumer items, food and beverage, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals — were found in the report for 2023.

Sedgwick emphasized that although there was an increase in recalls last year for the second year in a row, the quantity of faulty units — whether it be a single automobile or food packet — decreased by over 50% in comparison to 2022.