Baby Food Recall and Ultra-Processing Concerns in U.S. Market

Initiative Foods is recalling one lot of its Tippy Toes Apple Pear Banana fruit puree after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found elevated levels of patulin, a toxin that can form when mold grows on fruits such as apples. The recall affects products sold in grocery stores in all U.S. states except Alaska, and may also have been sold in Puerto Rico and Guam. So far, no illnesses or injuries have been reported, according to the company.

The FDA discovered the issue during routine testing as part of its Total Diet Study, which monitors foods for contaminants. The agency recommended the recall after finding patulin levels higher than what is typically seen in similar products.

The recalled product is packaged in 2-pack plastic tubs with an outer sleeve, bearing lot number 07174, a best by date of July 17, 2026, package code INIA0120, and UPCs 036800 and 265783. The "Best By" date is printed on the bottom of each plastic tub.

Patulin is a naturally occurring toxin. Long-term exposure may cause health problems such as nausea, fever, headaches, nerve damage and weakened immune function, health officials warn.

Initiative Foods said it worked with the FDA to identify the affected lot and remove it from distribution. The company's CEO and president stated that the safety of consumers and their families is the company's highest priority, and that the company is cooperating with the FDA to ensure strict review and enhanced safety measures across all products.

Consumers who have the recalled product should stop using it immediately and either throw it away or return it to the store for a refund. Parents with health concerns after use are encouraged to contact a health care provider. Retailers have been instructed to remove the affected lot from shelves right away. For questions, consumers can call 855-215-5730, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

The recall comes as new research reveals widespread concerns about baby food quality in the U.S. market. Nearly three-quarters of baby food sold in U.S. grocery stores can be considered ultra-processed foods, researchers reported Feb. 9 in the journal Nutrients.

For the study, researchers analyzed 651 infant and toddler food products sold by 10 large U.S. grocery store chains. Using a standard classification system, the research team judged which of the products could be classified as ultra-processed foods. The system evaluates whether foods contain either additives or substances rarely used in home kitchens. For example, high fructose corn syrup, processed oils, mechanically-separated meat and emulsifiers are all ingredients found in ultra-processed foods.

Results showed that 71% of the baby food found in grocery stores could be classified as ultra-processed foods. These ultra-processed baby foods contained twice as much sugar and considerably more sodium than healthier options, researchers said.

The products are chock full of sugar and salt, as well as industrial ingredients like additives, flavor enhancers, thickeners, emulsifiers and coloring agents, researchers said. The most common additives were flavor enhancers (36%); thickeners (29%); emulsifiers (19%); and colors (19%). In all, researchers found more than 105 unique additives among ultra-processed baby foods.

Nearly all snack-sized products (94%) were ultra-processed, researchers said, followed by full-size packages (86%) and pouches (73%). Sales of baby food in pouches have grown nearly 900% since 2010, researchers noted.

A research fellow at the George Institute for Global Health at the University of New South Wales in Australia noted that infancy is a critical time for shaping lifelong eating habits, and that introducing babies to foods that are overly sweet, salty and packed with additives can set the stage for unhealthy preferences that last beyond childhood. High ultra-processed food consumption in children is linked to heart and metabolic conditions later in life, so it's best to try and avoid introducing them in the first place, researchers said.

Researchers stated that better nutrition labeling and tighter regulations for baby foods are needed. Until then, checking the ingredients list is one of the best ways to spot the highly processed options – if you see an ingredient you don't recognize, then it's probably best to put it back on the shelf, researchers advised.