The Great Value fruit cocktail recall now underway covers more than 44,000 cans of Walmart’s store-brand fruit cocktail sold at stores in seven states, after a federal notice flagged possible lead contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classified the recall as Class II, meaning consumption of or exposure to the affected product could “cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.”
The recall affects Great Value Fruit Cocktail in Fruit Juice from Concentrate in 15-ounce cans. The FDA said the cans were produced by California-based Pacific Coast Producers, which initiated the recall, after elevated levels of lead were found as a possible contaminant.
Which cans the Great Value fruit cocktail recall covers
The Great Value fruit cocktail recall is limited to cans carrying the lot code 6FCB 04 C2263 and a “best if used by” date of “SEP 01 2027,” according to the FDA. Both codes are printed on the cans. Consumers who bought Great Value fruit cocktail at Walmart should check those two codes before discarding anything in the pantry.
The notice says the affected cans were distributed to Walmart stores in Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wyoming. No other states were named in the recall notice. The lot code and date are printed on the can itself, so shoppers do not need a receipt to check whether the Great Value fruit cocktail recall includes their purchase.
Walmart and Pacific Coast Producers did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment. The recall notice was posted by the FDA, which is tracking the recall as ongoing.
What a Class II recall means in the Great Value fruit cocktail recall
A Class II classification sits in the middle of the FDA’s recall system. It signals that use of the product could bring on temporary or reversible health effects, and that the chance of serious harm is remote. Lead exposure is a particular concern for children and pregnant women, because elevated lead levels can affect development. The FDA’s notice pointed to elevated levels of lead as the possible contaminant in the cans.
The Great Value fruit cocktail recall was first reported Oct. 22. Federal notices for Class II recalls typically advise consumers to stop eating the product and to return it to the store or contact the manufacturer for a refund. Parents who bought the cans for children should be especially careful to check the lot code, since lead poses greater risks to developing bodies.
Great Value fruit cocktail recall follows berry recalls
The Great Value fruit cocktail recall comes only weeks after frozen berries sold at Trader Joe’s and Walmart were recalled in connection with a multistate E. coli outbreak. Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. first recalled GreenWise-brand frozen organic blueberries on July 3. That recall grew on July 29 to cover GreenWise frozen mixed berries sold at Publix.
On Sept. 2, the recall expanded again to cover a frozen berry product sold at Walmart. It grew once more on Oct. 2 to include more products sold at Walmart and Trader Joe’s. The string of berry recalls and the new fruit cocktail action have kept federal food inspectors active through the fall.
How the recalled cans reached shelves
Pacific Coast Producers, a California company, produced the cans and initiated the recall, the FDA said. Walmart sells the product under its Great Value store brand, which is one of the most widely sold private-label brands in the country.
The FDA said more than 44,000 cans of Great Value Fruit Cocktail in Fruit Juice from Concentrate are affected. Shoppers in the seven named states who find the matching lot code should not eat the product. The Great Value fruit cocktail recall remains listed as ongoing, which means the agency is still collecting reports on how far the affected cans traveled. Consumers can contact Pacific Coast Producers or their local Walmart for guidance on returns and refunds.