Parents who have purchased Sprout Organics baby food products from Walgreens and other stores since last year will want to check to make sure they don’t have a now-recalled Sweet Potato Apple and Spinach food pouch. It is feared that the recalled product may contain elevated levels of lead, which can be detrimental to a baby’s development. Here’s what you need to know.
What’s happened?
On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a recall notice about a product from the organic baby food company Sprout Organics. That product is a Sweet Potato, Apple, and Spinach baby food pouch. It is feared that select pouches may have increased levels of lead in the food inside.
Sprout Organics initiated the voluntary recall after routine sampling suggested the product may contain elevated levels of lead. According to the recall notice, no other Sprout Organics products are included in this recall.
The FDA notice warns that exposure to lead, even at low levels, can increase the amount of lead in a person’s blood. Increased lead blood levels can have varying effects, based on a person’s age and weight. The notice states that “If a child is exposed to enough lead for a protracted period of time, this can affect learning and development or cause other long-term health problems.”
As of the time of the notice’s publication, no illnesses linked to the recalled food have been reported.
What Sprout Organics product is being recalled?
Sprout Organics sells several varieties of baby food in pouch containers, and one of those items is being recalled. The recalled Sprout Organics baby food product is:
- Product Name: Sprout Organics® Sweet Potato Apple and Spinach 3.5 oz pouch
- Lot code: 4212
- Expiration Date: 10/29/2025
Though the expiration date runs until the final days of October, the product was sold as far back as 2024. According ot the recall notice, most sales of the recalled product occurred between September and December 2024.
You can view an image of the recalled product here.
Where was the recalled Sprout Organics baby food sold?
The recalled Sprout Organics Sweet Potato Apple and Spinach 3.5 oz pouch was sold at a number of venues in the US South region, according to the recall notice.
Those venues include several unnamed “independent stores” in the region. It also includes Walgreens stores in the region.
The recall notice states that “The product was not sold in any other large grocery chain besides Walgreens.”
What should I do if I have the recalled baby food?
Do not serve the food to your child or anyone else. Instead, you should return it to its place of purchase for a full refund.
Those with questions or concerns about the recalled product can email Sprout Organics at Info@sproutorganics.com. Full details of the recall are available here.
