Recalled cinnamon applesauce pouches that were tied to lead poisoning in hundreds of U.S. children contained an additional contaminant, federal health officials said Friday.

Besides lead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said investigators detected “a high level” of the chemical element chromium, which can be toxic, in WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree and in cinnamon collected from the Ecuador factory where the pouches were manufactured.

The additional details come as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 287 confirmed, probable or suspected lead poisoning cases from 37 states in the outbreak first detected in October. At least one adult has reported high blood lead levels after eating the lead-tainted pouches, but the median age of those sickened is 1, the FDA said.

  • @[email protected]
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    110 months ago

    Is there any evidence this is what happened? Why would adding lead and chromium to food make someone money?

    • @derf82
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      110 months ago

      Many things are paid by gross weight. Adding heavy metals will increase the weight and this the price they get.

      And the article I linked to contains the allegation.

      • @[email protected]
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        10 months ago

        Surely the amount of lead that would make any measurable difference to the price would be super dangerous and acutely toxic. Quickly detectable

        • @derf82
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          110 months ago

          And indeed it was acutely toxic.