Martinelli’s Apple Juice Pulled from Shelves in 28 States Over Toxic Mold Concerns

Check your pantry: Martinelli’s, the iconic apple juice company known for its glass bottles, has issued a recall of certain four-packs of its 10-ounce apple juice bottles, affecting customers across 28 states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) flagged the recall after detecting possible contamination by patulin, a toxic mycotoxin produced by certain molds that can grow on apples.

Patulin is not a household name, but you definitely don’t want it in your drink. The FDA explained that this toxin is produced by molds like Penicillium and Aspergillus, which thrive on fruit, grains, and even cheese. While most of us just worry about our juice tasting fresh, the FDA has previously found high levels of patulin in some apple juice products sold or imported into the U.S.

The recall covers 7,234 cases— that’s 111 batches— of Martinelli’s apple juice bottles. The states affected read like a cross-country road trip: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, 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’s initiated the recall on March 18, but the FDA officially categorized it as a Class II recall on April 22. For those not up on their FDA lingo, that means the recalled juice could cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, but serious issues are considered unlikely.

According to the company, Martinelli’s juices are "flash-pasteurized, hot-filled into new bottles, capped and quickly cooled to retain the fresh apple flavor." The California-based company has been bottling apple juice since 1868, so they’re no strangers to the juice game. But even the old pros can run into a moldy apple every now and then.

Martinelli’s hasn't released an official comment yet. In the meantime, if you’ve got any of these glass bottles sitting around, it’s probably safer to skip the nostalgia and reach for another beverage.