Martinelli’s issues recall for more than 170,000 apple juice bottles for potentially toxic substance
More than 170,000 bottles of apple juice are being voluntarily recalled by S. Martinelli & Company in 28 states for potential contamination with toxic substances, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The company, based in Watsonville, California, issued the recall on March 18 for more than 7,200 cases of the product, each containing 24 bottles per case.
“In 2024, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) routine testing indicated that one lot of 10-ounce Martinelli’s Apple Juice glass bottles (in 4-packs only) produced in December 2023 may contain elevated levels of Patulin, a naturally occurring substance produced by molds that can grow in apples,” the statement read.
The amount of patulin in apple products is typically viewed as a measure of the quality of the apples used, according to the National Library of Medicine.
“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.
No health issues related to the recall have been reported yet, the company stated in a press release.
The affected products were distributed throughout the U.S. in the following 28 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Deleware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Martinelli stated that the company worked with retailers that received the recalled product, and any remaining affected items in inventory have been removed.
The recalled product has a “best by” date of Dec. 5, 2026, and is identified by the UPC number 0 41244 04102 2, located below the product’s barcode.
