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WALMART and Target shoppers have been warned against drinking apple juice amid toxic mold contamination fears.
A massive recall is underway in a desperate push to urgently remove more than 170,000 bottles across nearly 30 states.
Martinelli’s has issued a voluntary recall for bottles of its apple juice – which if contaminated could make people vomit.
This is according to a recall alert issued on the FDA‘s website.
It’s feared the drink poses a potential health risk to consumers as the bottles might be tainted with patulin, a mycotoxin – poisonous substances produced by fungi or mold.
Patulin has been “linked to nausea, vomiting and gastrointestinal disturbance” in various studies, according to Australian Beverages.
It added: “The presence of blue mold is a good indicator that patulin is present in fruit.
“It usually infects fruit that is wounded or damaged, by insects, bruising or hail.
“Major sources of contamination are apples and apple products.”
Martinelli’s massive recall involves more than 170,000 apple juice bottles showing a “best by” date of December 5, 2026.
The drink is sold in round glass 10-ounce bottles with white metal screw-top lids.
Martinelli’s said the possibly tainted apple juice bottles were distributed throughout 28 states: 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 the alert notification, the FDA said that 7,234 cases were being sought in total.
Aside from the best by date, shoppers should check for the Universal Product Code (UPC) code, which is 0 41244 04102 2.
The U.S. Sun has contacted Martinelli’s to comment on the recall, and to ask whether any consumers have reported any illnesses.
No other production dates or Martinelli’s products are affected by this recall.
A spokesperson replied with this statement today: “In 2024, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) routine testing indicated that one lot of 10-ounce Martinelli’s Apple Juice glass bottles (in 4-packs only) produced in December 2023 may contain elevated levels of Patulin, a naturally-occurring substance produced by molds that can grow in apples.
“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.
“No other production dates or Martinelli’s products are affected by this recall.
“To date, we have not had any reported health issues related to the recall.
“At S. Martinelli & Company, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence, and the health and safety of our customers remains our greatest priority.”
Which apple juice bottles have been recalled?
Martinelli’s has issued a recall for more than tens of thousands of bottles of apple juice over a potential toxic contamination.
The voluntary recall was launched on March 18, 2025, for 7,234 cases – more than 170,000 bottles.
The recall is for round glass 10-ounce bottles with white metal screw-top lids.
The bottles have a “best by” date of December 5, 2026, and a UPC code of: 0 41244 04102 2.
The firm is based in Watsonville – south of Santa Cruz and north of Monterey – in California.
The recall comes as Costco customers have been warned that a salsa could contain bits of wood.
Meanwhile, at Aldi, shoppers have been told of a risk that metal fragments could have contaminated pork.
