Applesauce Pulled From Grocery Stores In 24 States Due To ‘Patulin’—What Is It?
Grocery shoppers, take note: Mott’s has announced a voluntary recall of thousands of cases of their famous Mott’s Applesauce now due to health risks posed by the elevated patulin levels in the product.
Keep reading to learn more about the patulin toxin, the recall, and whether your product might be affected.
What Is Patulin, And How Has It Contaminated Mott's Applesauce?
According to the FDA, patulin is a mycotoxin, which are toxins produced by fungi or molds. Not all mycotoxins are concerning, but patulin in particular is.
The patulin mycotoxin is produced by molds that grow on fruit, grains, and cheese. The best-known example of patulin is that which can contaminate juice or cider made from apples. When companies use moldy apples or collections of apples tainted by the presence of rotten interlopers, the risk of patulin contamination increases. Literally, one bad apple can spoil the bunch, and patulin can even spread to other nearby foods and survives even at refrigerated temperatures.
Drinking contaminated apple juice, eating contaminated apples, or consuming contaminated applesauce can produce symptoms of patulin exposure including nausea, vomiting, and even the freaky-sounding risk of damaging the DNA in some of the body's cells, known as genotoxicity.
Mott's Applesauce Recalled: Product Information For Customers
The Mott's Applesauce products affected by the recall are Mott's Applesauce 3.9 oz. cups, distributed in 23.4 oz. packs of 6 cups to 24 states: Alaska, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as to Bermuda and the Dominican Republic. Contaminated containers have "Best By" dates of AUG 13 24 and AUG 14 24. Retail unit UPC is 14800000078; case label UPC is 10014800000075.
No illnesses have been reported yet in relation to patulin contamination and the Mott's recall, but the applesauce company urges customers to not consume the product and throw out any applesauce that fits the above description immediately.
If you are experiencing any symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or worse after consuming Mott's Applesauce, please contact your health care provider as soon as possible. Otherwise, dispose of any impacted foods and carefully follow the FDA's safe handling and cleaning procedures.
If you have any questions or concerns relating to the Mott's Applesauce recall, you can call the Mott's Consumer Relations line at (800) 426-4891 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST or send a message to the company by using their website's product feedback link.
