Retailers asked not to sell certain pear juices for toddlers

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (March 12) appealed to retailers not to sell two types of pear juice for toddlers, due to possible contamination by the heavy metal arsenic. The public are also advised not to consume the affected batches of juice.

A CFS spokesman said the appeal was made following a warning issued by the Canadian authorities. Details of the affected products are as follows:

Product UPC (Universal Product Code) Lot Code
President's Choice Organics Pear Juice from Concentrate for Toddlers (1 L) 0 60383 70935 8 All
Beech Nut Pear Juice from Concentrate with Vitamin C added (128mL) 0 523842 8 2009 FE 02
A0384B0935

"Arsenic" is a toxic heavy metal that may be carcinogenic and may pose developmental risks to children.

"The CFS has contacted the relevant authorities for more information and alerted the trade about the case. It will monitor the situation closely," the spokesman said.

Ends/Wednesday, March 12, 2008