Kroger and Target Shoppers, Take Caution: Apple Juice Recalled Over Arsenic Levels
If you regularly buy Martinelli's apple juice, double-check the bottles you have at home.
If you've got kids at home or just enjoy a glass of juice with breakfast or lunch, chances are the apple variety is a staple on your grocery list. There are a few well-known brands, including Mott's and Welch's, but Martinelli's is another classic—and it's still sold in those familiar old-fashioned glass bottles. However, if you regularly purchase Martinelli's apple juice from your local Kroger or Target, you'll want to double-check the bottles you picked up, as one lot has been recalled due to elevated arsenic levels.
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According to an April 16 notice, Martinelli's issued a voluntary recall of a single lot of one-liter bottles of apple juice that were shipped between March 13, 2023, and Sept. 27, 2023, with most shipped before July 28 last year.
The recall was initiated after the State of Maryland tested the apple juice in one-liter bottles, finding that they had levels of inorganic arsenic "above the guidance action level" issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Per the recall notice from S. Martinelli & Company, the level was 1.6 parts per billion (ppb) higher than the action level, which is set at 10 ppb to be in line with requirements for water.
In the June 2023 release announcing the new guidance for inorganic arsenic in apple juice, the FDA said the move was intended to "reduce exposure to environmental contaminants from foods commonly consumed by babies and young children."
While arsenic may be present in foods because it's in the environment where they're grown, raised, or processed, it's also associated with negative health effects, the FDA said. These include cancer, diabetes, adverse birth outcomes, and cardiovascular and neurodevelopmental effects.
"It is not possible to entirely remove arsenic from the environment or from the food supply," the release states, noting that arsenic may also occur naturally in the environment due to human activity and the use of pesticides. "Therefore, the FDA sets action levels when a level of a contaminant is unavoidable, to inform industry on the level of contamination above which the FDA may regard certain foods as adulterated. Action levels do not establish a permissible level of contamination where it is avoidable."
As of the April 16 notice, Martinelli stated that no illnesses or complaints were reported in connection with the recalled products.
Martinelli's store locator indicates that the one-liter glass bottles were sold at Kroger, Publix, Target, Winn-Dixie, and Whole Foods, ABC News reported. Products have a best by date of March 9 or March 10, 2026, and a unit universal product code of 4124402010.
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As the Miami Herald reported, Martinelli's would not have faced consequences from the FDA for selling apple juice with inorganic arsenic levels higher than 10 ppb, as the policy is "non-binding." However, Martinelli's still issued the recall.
"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," a statement provided to the Miami Herald reads. "In full cooperation with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, we issued a voluntary recall. We will continue to cooperate with the FDA on any further direction, beyond what was already sent out to our retail customers."
Retailers were instructed to remove the apple juice from stores and shelves and were asked to inform customers. The recall notice doesn't have explicit instructions for customers who may have recalled products at home, but anyone with questions is instructed to contact Martinelli's directly at 1-800-662-1868.
Best Life reached out to Martinelli's for comment, and we will update the story when we hear back.
