FDA: Lead-Contaminated Apple Sauce May Have Been Intentional

Facts

• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that a recently discovered lead contamination of three cinnamon applesauce pouch brands may have been intentionally poisoned. The brands are Weis, WanaBanana, and Schnucks, and they are sold by Amazon, Dollar Tree, and other internet shopping outlets. ¹
• The FDA earlier this week said there were 65 reported cases of contaminated cinnamon applesauce and cinnamon apple puree, with all adverse effects found in children under six years old. The federal agency also stated that it's launched an on-site investigation into Ecuador's Austrofood facility and working alongside Ecuadorian authorities to probe Negasmart, the cinnamon supplier.²
• According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 125 lead poisoning cases being investigated, mostly in toddlers, across 22 states. Of those 125, 46 have been confirmed to be linked to the contamination, 68 are likely linked, and 11 are suspected to be linked. ³
• The CDC says children exposed to lead are at risk of serious health issues — including damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, and behavioral issues. The exposure can also be deadly at high levels. ⁴
• The FDA has warned that the pouches, which have been recalled, have a long shelf life and that those who have purchased them should check the ones they have. Austrofood and Wanabana USA are already establishing a program to reimburse healthcare costs and building a website to issue refunds for the recalled products.²
• FDA officials are speculating that the intentional act of adding the lead-tainted applesauce occurred from an actor in the supply chain — likely linked to the Ecuador facility — who did not anticipate the products arriving in a country like the US with a robust regulatory system. The applesauce may have been tampered with to falsely adjust the production costs to sell at a higher price.⁵

Sources: ¹Across America, ²CNN, ³CDC, ⁴NBC and ⁵Politico.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is working to establish the exact number of contamination cases and how they occurred as well as offer guidance for both current victims and future prevention mechanisms. Ecuadorian authorities have also helped strengthen this investigation. It's vital to clamp down on product tampering in the global supply chain which can have serious health consequences for consumers.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by NBC. Coming on the heels of last year's contaminated baby food crisis, this applesauce debacle is more proof of how porous America's health safety net is. To make things worse, before either of these stories broke, a 2019 report found that 95% of baby foods tested had heavy metals in them. This isn't a one-off story about a bad actor — the FDA needs to turn its many investigations into far more effective health and safety protocols.
• Nerd narrative, as provided by Metaculus. There's a 32% chance that Soylent-like meal replacements will be labeled unhealthy before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.