Walmart recalls nearly 10,000 cases of Great Value apple juice due to high arsenic levels

The Walmart supermarket chain announced Friday that it is recalling 9,535 cases of Great Value apple juice from its various stores in 25 states, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

The reason is that these beverages were found to contain a high level of arsenic, a toxic component that can be lethal to humans. Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asserted that the apple juices had arsenic levels of 13.2 parts per billion, a figure above the recommended rate of 10 parts per billion.

It was the FDA that issued the order, which it gave a "more urgent classification" last August 15. However, the manufacturer of Great Value, Floridian company Refresco, had already recalled the contaminated six-pack of eight-ounce bottles. A decision it made just after learning that the product was not safe for human consumption, as the chemical levels exceeded what was recommended by the industry.

Walmart also removed the product from its shelves. As reported to CNN spokeswoman for the supermarket chain, Molly Blakeman, they made that decision as soon as they learned the product was contaminated:

"The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. We have removed this product from our impacted stores and are working with the supplier to investigate."Molly Blakeman, Walmart spokeswoman.

It is not uncommon to find arsenic in consumer-grade products. According to the National Institutes of Health, many products have very low levels of organic and inorganic arsenic and are not hazardous to health in principle. It is true that these foods are routinely tested, as sometimes finding a higher level of this component can cause symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, numbness and muscle cramps.

Inorganic arsenic is also a carcinogenic substance and that is why the FDA is very alert to any product that may contain this chemical.