FDA Slaps Dollar Tree With Warning Over Lead-Contaminated Applesauce

The FDA has hit Dollar Tree with a warning letter over lead-contaminated applesauce, claiming that the company didn’t pull the product fast enough.

Yahoo! reports that the WanaBana cinnamon apple brand was voluntarily recalled by the company in November 2023 after it was discovered that the products were laced with lead and chromium. However, public health officials “across many states” noticed that stores continued to sell the contaminated products after the voluntary recall, according to the letter.

“When a food is recalled, retailers play a crucial role in carrying out the recall by ensuring that recalled products are not available to consumers at their stores,” reads the letter, which was issued on Tuesday, June 18. “The Agency is concerned with Dollar Tree’s capability to quickly remove unsafe products from its store shelves as necessary and as required during a public health threat, such as a recall.”

Per an FDA spokesperson, they are currently “not aware of any recalled product remaining on Dollar Tree shelves at this time.” The FDA and state regulatory partners conducted recall audit checks at retail stores and collaborated with Dollar Tree to ensure the removal of the product.

Dollar Tree also responded to the allegations. “Dollar Tree is committed to selling quality food and products, maintaining a safe environment for associates and customers, and complying with all laws and regulations,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “Under our new management team, we are on a journey to transform our business and continue to take steps to significantly enhance and strengthen our compliance and safety programs and capabilities, including our process for quickly and effectively executing product recalls.”

The statement continued, “We are building and enhancing our efforts to prevent and detect violations, and when a compliance issue does occur, we work to remediate it promptly and fully. As previously disclosed, in October 2023 Dollar Tree took immediate action and began executing a recall of WanaBana’s Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouch upon being notified of the issue with the product. We continue to cooperate with FDA on this matter.”

This is just the latest issue to rock the discount store, which has been plagued with problems in recent months. In March, after Dollar Tree announced it was closing several stores across the country, it was revealed that the company had faced multiple criticisms for unsafe working conditions and even received a record fine for violating product safety standards.

That same month, CEO Rick Dreiling revealed plans to expand the product line by including more expensive items with a $7 maximum. This was done to attract more higher-income clientele.

The $5 ceiling imposed in June of last year has been increased by this new price cap. Most things will still be priced at $1.25 in spite of this.

“This year, across 3,000 stores, we expect to expand our multi-price assortment by over 300 items at price points ranging from $1.50 to $7,” Dreiling explained on the Dollar Tree earnings call. The items with higher prices will include food, beverages, snacks, personal care, and pet care.