Wakefern Food Corp., the company behind ShopRite, has recalled jars of Wholesome Pantry Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce after routine FDA monitoring found patulin above food-safety limits. Patulin is a toxin made by molds that grow on bruised or damaged apples.
No illnesses or injuries have been reported.
Recall details
- Product: Wholesome Pantry Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce, 23-ounce plastic jar
- UPC: 04119005677
- Best-by date: June 16, 2027
- Stores: ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market
- States: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island
What to do if you have it
Don’t eat it. Return the jar to the store for an immediate refund or replacement. Questions go to 1-800-ShopRite (1-800-746-7748), Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and weekends 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What is patulin?
Patulin is a mycotoxin, a natural poison produced by certain molds. It turns up most often in apples that are bruised, damaged or starting to rot, and in juices, ciders and sauces made from them. Cooking and pasteurizing don’t reliably destroy it.
Because of health concerns about repeated exposure, food-safety agencies limit how much patulin apple products can contain. In the U.S., the FDA’s limit for apple juice products is 50 parts per billion. The recall notice says this applesauce exceeded food-safety limits but doesn’t give the level found.
“Organic” doesn’t mean mold-free
Organic rules govern how apples are grown, not whether damaged fruit makes it into processing. Patulin comes from mold on the fruit itself, so it can show up in conventional and organic products alike. What prevents it is careful sorting, which means keeping bruised and moldy apples out of the batch.
The same applies at home:
- Don’t use moldy or rotting apples for sauce, juice or baking. Patulin can spread beyond the visible rotten spot, so cutting it away isn’t reliable.
- Store apples cool and handle them gently. Bruises are where mold gets in.
- Offer young children a variety of fruits rather than lots of apple juice or applesauce every day. Children eat more for their body size than adults do, so contaminants add up faster.
