FDA names likely source of lead in contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches
The lead contamination in the recalled WanaBana applesauce pouches likely came from a single processor in Ecuador run by Carlos Aguilera, the FDA said on Tuesday.
The recalled WanaBana cinnamon applesauce pouches potentially linked to lead poisonings in hundreds of people across the United States were likely contaminated by a single cinnamon processor in Ecuador, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
Ecuadorian officials have identified Carlos Aguilera, a cinnamon processor, as “the likely source of contamination” of the applesauce pouches, the FDA said.
Aguilera sourced his cinnamon from Sri Lanka. According to Ecuadorian officials, the cinnamon sticks were free from lead contamination before they were processed.
Aguilera is just one part of supply chain for the Florida-based WanaBana cinnamon applesauce pouches. The pouches are made at a facility in Ecuador called Austrofoods, which sources its cinnamon from another Ecuadorian supplier called Negasmart. Negasmart, in turn, got its cinnamon from Aguilera, according to Ecuadorian officials.
The investigation and legal proceedings by officials in Ecuador to determine ultimate responsibility for the contamination are still ongoing, the FDA said, but Aguilera's business is not operating at this time.
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