By Amber Raiken

Copyright independent

A popular baby food brand is issuing a warning about one of its products over potential lead concerns.

Sprout Organics is voluntarily recalling one lot of its food pouches, Sweet Potato Apple and Spinach, according to a Tuesday press release shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The food pouches are being recalled because they “may contain elevated levels of lead,” as noted in the press release. The recall was initiated after routine sampling of the product.

The 3.5-ounce pouches were sold in Walgreens and some independent stores in the Southern region of the U.S. Most sales occurred between September and December 2024, and Walgreens was the only major retailer to sell the recalled product.

Affected pouches can be identified with the lot code 4212 and the expiration date of October 29, 2025.

There have been no illnesses reported to date. However, consumers with the pouches should return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

As noted by the FDA, exposure to lead, even at low levels, can increase blood lead levels in children and adults.

“Additional signs and symptoms of lead exposure are more likely with acute exposure to higher levels of lead or chronic exposure to lead,” the company said in the press release.

“The effects of lead depend upon the amount and duration of exposure and age/body weight,” the FDA continued. “If a child is exposed to enough lead for a protracted period of time, this can affect learning and development or cause other long-term health problems.”

Sprout Organics’ food pouches are one of many baby foods that have sparked health concerns this year. In May, Publix announced that pouches of its GreenWise Pear, Kiwi, Spinach & Pea Baby Food were being pulled from shelves over potential lead contamination.

In a statement at the time, Maria Brous, Director of Communications at Publix, said there had been no reported cases of illness from the recalled food pouches.

In April, Target issued a similar recall over its Good & Gather Baby Pea, Zucchini, Kale & Thyme Vegetable Puree. More than 25,000 packages of the baby food, sold in 4-ounce tubs, were affected by the recall, which was initiated due to potentially elevated levels of lead, according to the FDA.

The recall was listed as Class II, which means the products are unlikely to cause serious harm, but still have the potential to result in temporary or reversible problems.