Oregon and federal officials warn of fruit pouches with high levels of lead

OREGON — Federal and state officials are urging the public to steer clear of certain apple-cinnamon-flavored fruit puree products found to have dangerously elevated levels of lead. Lead poisoning poses severe health risks, particularly for children, causing damage to the brain and nervous system.

The alert from the Food & Drug Administration specifically targets apple-cinnamon-flavored fruit puree pouches from WanaBana, Weis, and Schnucks. WanaBana is available at Dollar Tree stores and online, while Weis and Schnucks products are sold in grocery stores outside of Oregon and Washington.

The Dollar Tree in Baker City tells Elkhorn Media Group that the recalled product from WanaBana has been removed from its store. Elkhorn Media Group has left messages for the La Grande location but has yet to hear back.

While there have been no confirmed cases, health officials suspect that children in Oregon may have consumed these products. In a press conference this week, Multnomah County health leaders emphasized a sense of caution, stating they see “smoke, but no fire” at this point.

Perry Cabot, who leads Multnomah County’s lead poisoning prevention program, stressed the importance for parents to have their children’s blood tested immediately if they have given them these specific products. Parents should also retain the product packaging for healthcare providers.

Although the specific ingredient responsible for the high lead levels has not been identified, health inspectors suspect it may be related to the cinnamon. Cabot refrained from advising parents to avoid all cinnamon products but urged mindfulness regarding the implicated apple-cinnamon-flavored pouches. He also encouraged sourcing products locally and understanding product origins to the best extent possible.

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Elkhorn Media Group