A New York company is recalling powdered drink mixes from U.S. retailers nationwide and consumers worldwide because of unsafe levels of arsenic and lead.
The company, “Cellect Products Inc. and Oglethorpe Ltd.,” posted a recall notice with the Food and Drug Administration today urging consumers and others to check for the implicated products. Cellect Products Inc. and Oglethorpe Ltd. is notifying its distributors and customers by email or mail, according to the recall notice.
“The Cellect Unflavored Powder & Essentials Factor Cell Synergy Unflavored Powder has been found to have unsafe levels of Arsenic and Lead,” the notice states.
“Consumers, distributors and retailers that have Cellect Unflavored Powder or Essentials Factor Cell Synergy Unflavored Powder which is being recalled should stop using and return to place of purchase for a replacement or a refund.”
The recalled Cellect Unflavored Powder and/or Essentials Factor Cell Synergy Unflavored Powder are packaged in 1.25-pound white plastic bottles. To determine whether they have the recalled products, consumers and others should look at the bottom of each bottle for lot 041907 and a manufactured (MFG) date of 05/20/2019. The products are labeled as a “Multi-Mineral & Vitamin Supplement.”
Consumers in the United States had access to the drink mixes online and at retail stores. Internationally, the company used the internet to sell the products in Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Croatia, Romania, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, China, India, Thailand and Japan.
In the recall, company officials said consumption of the recalled products could result in an accumulation of lead in the body over time “and too much of it can cause serious and sometimes permanent adverse health consequences.” The recall also states that “long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic has been associated with skin disorders and increased risks for skin, bladder, and lung cancers.”
People with high blood levels of lead may show no symptoms, but the condition may cause damage to the nervous system and internal organs, according to the recall notice. Acute lead poisoning may cause a wide range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and bloody or decreased urinary output.
Children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning. Lead poisoning can be diagnosed through clinical testing. As of the posting of the recall notice today, Cellect Products Inc. and Oglethorpe Ltd. had not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.
Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Cellect Products Inc. and Oglethorpe Ltd. by phone at 631-509-5316 or send an e-mail to request@cellect.org.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
