FDA Recalls Over 170,000 Bottles of Popular Apple Juice Across The US Due to Toxic Substance

When someone reaches into their fridge to grab an apple, they’re expecting to taste an explosion of sweet and juicy pulp. It should be a “golden surprise,” as Martinelli, the company famous for its glass-bottled apple beverages, says. But for Americans these days, this apple-eating surprise may not be golden or pleasant. Martinelli recently initiated a product recall to prevent apple lovers from flocking to the doctors’ clinics. The company is voluntarily recalling more than 170,000 bottles of apple juice in 28 states for potential contamination with toxic substances, particularly one called “patulin,” according to an announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Patulin, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is a “mycotoxin produced by a variety of moulds and fungi.” It is often found in decaying apples, apple juice, apple products, and other fruits, grains, and cheese. The toxin is produced as a result of mold infection of crops, both before and after harvest. Once consumed, the toxicity of this substance can damage several organs of the body and trigger symptoms like nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, and vomiting. Although Martinelli specifies on its website that all of its products are made of “pasteurized 100% apple juice from U.S.-grown fresh apples,” the company was unaware that the contamination could expand to this extent on the scale.

The recall was issued on March 18 this year. On April 22, it was classified as a “Class II recall.” This classification is done by the FDA to indicate the relative degree of health hazard of the product being recalled. A “Class II recall” is “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote,” according to FDA’s website. In this case, Martinelli, based in Watsonville, California, noted 7,234 cases of apple products contaminated with patulin. 

“Apple Juice; clear, translucent bulbous or round glass bottle with white metal screw top lid; (4 to 10 oz bottles per pack; 6 packs per case),” the recall poster describes the product. The recalled bottles feature a “best by date” of December 5, 2026, and a UPC number of “0 41244 04102 2,” mentioned below the product barcode. These apple products have been recalled in 28 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

In an interview with TODAY, Martinelli confessed that, previously, they were aware of a potential patulin contamination in their products. A routine test by the FDA in 2024 had indicated that one lot of 10-ounce Martinelli’s Apple Juice four-pack glass bottles contained elevated levels of patulin. "In full cooperation with the FDA, Martinelli’s issued a voluntary recall of the small amount of product potentially impacted by this issue. Martinelli’s has worked with those retailers that received the product, and the retailers have removed anything that still remained in inventory," the company told the outlet. The company also clarified that no other products, apart from the recalled ones, are affected by patulin. Plus, no health risks have been recorded or reported as of now. The current status of this recall is “ongoing.”