Martinelli’s recalls 170,000 apple juice bottles over risk of toxic substance from fungi

Martinelli’s is recalling more than 170,000 apple juice bottles because their contents may be contaminated by patulin, a toxic substance produced by some fungi. 

The recall covers round glass 10-ounce bottles with white metal screw-top lids that were distributed in 28 states, from Alabama to Wisconsin, according to the FDA recall notice. S. Martinelli & Co., the Watsonville, California, beverage company that makes the drink, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The recall is listed as Class II, which under FDA guidelines signals that a product may “cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”

Patulin is a mycotoxin that’s produced by a number of fungal species and is usually associated with foods infected by those fungi, including apples, according to the peer-reviewed journal Toxicon. Its side effects can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, the journal Frontiers in Science notes.

Below are the states where the Martinelli’s juice bottles were distributed:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Mississppi
• North Carolina
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Wisconsin 

The bottles have a “best by” date of December 5, 2026, and a UPC code of: 0 41244 04102 2.