ST. PAUL, Minn. — Maple Island Inc. on Friday recalled three lots of its Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal that it manufactures for Walmart after regulators detected inorganic arsenic levels that exceed guidance for the naturally occurring substance.
The St. Paul, Minnesota-based company issued the voluntary recall after routine testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration detected the issue in the cereal distributed nationally through Walmart stores and online.
According to the recall notice, Walmart has been advised of the issue and has pulled the product from its store shelves. The retail giant has also placed a register block on the product in its stores and online to prevent further distribution.
The affected lots, sold after April 5 in 8-ounce packages, include the following:
- Lot 21083 with UPC Code #00681131082907 and a “best if used by” date of June 24, 2022.
- Lot 21084 with UPC Code #00681131082907 and a “best if used by” date of June 25, 2022.
- Lot 21242 with UPC Code #00681131082907 and a “best if used by” date of Nov. 30, 2022.
No illnesses linked to the recall have been reported to date, and no other production lots or Parent’s Choice products are affected by the recall, the notice stated.
Consumers who purchased the affected products are advised to discard them or return them to Walmart for a full refund. Customers seeking additional information may call Maple Island, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CDT at 1-800-369-1022 or contact the company by email at info@maple-island.com.
According to the recall notice, the FDA has recognized that trace elements such as these are widely present in the environment, including water, soil and food. The agency also noted that research has shown reducing exposure to toxic elements is important to minimizing any potential long-term effects on the developing brains of infants and children.
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