Quick Take:
Watsonville-based Martinelli’s has voluntarily recalled more than 170,000 bottles of its apple juice distributed across 17 states, including California, after detecting elevated levels of a toxic mold byproduct, though officials say the health risk remains low.
More than 170,000 bottles of Martinelli’s apple juice were voluntarily recalled by the Watsonville-based company for potential contamination by a toxic substance, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
S. Martinelli & Company issued the recall on March 18 for more than 7,200 cases, containing 24 bottles each, of apple juice in 10-ounce glass bottles with a white metal lid after it discovered that one lot contained elevated levels of patulin, a toxic chemical made by mold that grows on apples. The recalled product was distributed to 17 states, including California.
No health issues have been reported yet, and the toxin hasn’t been discovered in any other products. The probability of severe adverse health consequences is remote, according to the FDA, which listed the recall as Class II. (Class I situations affect products that are likely to cause serious illness and death, and Class III recalls aren’t likely to cause serious health issues.)
Martinelli’s discovered the toxin in 2024 in juice that was produced in December 2023, the company said in a statement. It issued a voluntary recall on the small amount of product potentially impacted by this issue, and worked with retailers to remove any recalled products. The potentially affected juice is no longer in circulation.
“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,” the company said in the statement.
The recalled product has a “best by” date of Dec. 5, 2026, and can be identified by the UPC number 0 41244 04102 2, located below the product’s barcode.