WanaBana Applesauce Lead Poisoning Lawsuit – Status

WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches, plus Schnucks and Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches, were recalled in October 2023 after children developed elevated blood lead levels. Parents have filed lawsuits claiming the companies let lead-contaminated cinnamon reach store shelves. Individual injury claims and at least one settled case are moving through federal court in Florida against Wanabana LLC, Wanabana USA LLC, and a co-defendant retailer. No multidistrict litigation has consolidated these cases. Wanabana LLC and its U.S. affiliate have since filed for bankruptcy, which has paused some claims against them. One case, S.W. v. Wanabana LLC, reached a court-approved settlement for an affected child in October 2025.

Latest WanaBana Applesauce Lawsuit Updates

October 21, 2025: Court Approves Settlement in S.W. V. Wanabana LLC

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida approved a settlement for a minor plaintiff in a lawsuit against Wanabana LLC and Wanabana USA LLC, styled S.W. v. Wanabana LLC. The order adopted a magistrate judge’s recommendation from the month before, closing that individual claim. The public docket does not state a settlement amount, and other cases against WanaBana remain open.

September 26, 2025: Magistrate Judge Recommends Approving the Settlement

A magistrate judge in the S.W. v. Wanabana LLC case filed a Report and Recommendation urging the court to approve a proposed settlement for the minor plaintiff, and the court adopted the recommendation the following month, closing that individual claim.

May 30, 2024: WanaBana Defendants’ Bankruptcy Stays Some Claims

Wanabana LLC and Wanabana USA LLC told the court they had filed for bankruptcy protection. Under federal bankruptcy law, that filing automatically pauses lawsuits against the company that filed it. The judge in S.W. v. Wanabana LLC stayed the claims against both WanaBana entities the same day, though the case continued against the co-defendant retailer. The public docket does not list a bankruptcy case number.

March 22, 2024: Case Count Reaches 519 Nationwide

State and local health officials had logged 519 total cases tied to the recalled pouches: 136 confirmed, 345 probable, 38 suspected [1]. Cases spanned 44 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The tally kept climbing for months after the October 2023 recall as families sought blood tests for children who had eaten the affected pouches. It remains the most recent nationwide count published.

February 9, 2024: S.W. V. Wanabana LLC Moves to Federal Court

S.W. v. Wanabana LLC, a personal-injury product-liability lawsuit naming WanaBana’s two corporate entities and a co-defendant retailer, was removed to federal court in Florida. The case had originated in state court. The docket was assigned to a magistrate judge for discovery and later moved toward the settlement approved in October 2025.

January 5, 2024: FDA Reports Chromium Alongside the Lead

Testing of the recalled cinnamon and finished pouches found chromium in addition to lead, the FDA reported [2]. The ratio was consistent with lead chromate, a compound sometimes added illegally to spices to boost their color and value. Health effects from eating food contaminated with this form of chromium were not well understood, the agency said. It urged anyone with high lead levels to tell their doctor about possible chromium exposure too.

December 29, 2023: Reports Climb to 287 Cases in 37 States

By this date, the case count reached 287 total reports across 37 different states, the same federal tracking effort reported. That count broke down as 80 confirmed, 187 probable, and 20 suspected cases. The count kept rising through the winter as more families had their children tested for lead exposure after eating the recalled applesauce pouches.

December 19, 2023: 205 Cases Reported Across 33 States

Five days earlier, the same health tracking effort had counted 205 cases across 33 states as the investigation continued. Officials said confirmed complainants were, at that point, entirely children under six years old. Health investigators cautioned that figures collected through different reporting channels should be read as separate counts, not added together. Some children could appear in more than one tally.

November 22, 2023: Adverse-Event Reports Reach 52

By this date, 52 reports of adverse events in children had been linked to the recalled pouches, the same federal tracking effort reported. Confirmed reports at the time involved children younger than five. The recalled WanaBana pouches were still found on some store shelves at this point. The FDA said it was working with the retailer to complete the removal.

November 3, 2023: Recall Expands to Schnucks and Weis Pouches

FDA transferred the investigation to its outbreak-response network. It expanded the recall to certain Schnucks and Weis cinnamon applesauce pouches, made with the same contaminated cinnamon supply [3]. The FDA said it learned of the additional brands after reviewing records the original recalling company provided. It updated its public safety alert the same day to cover both new brands.

October 30, 2023: WanaBana Issues the Original Recall

Wanabana LLC voluntarily recalled all WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches after the FDA found elevated lead levels in the product [4]. The recall covered every lot and expiration date of the three-pack pouches. The company said it was cooperating fully with regulators. It urged parents to stop feeding the pouches to children and to discard any they had at home.

What Is Lead Poisoning?

Lead poisoning happens when lead, a toxic metal, builds up in the body, often after it is swallowed or breathed in. The World Health Organization says there is no known safe level of lead exposure [5]. Young children may absorb 4 to 5 times as much lead as adults from the same dose. That is why exposure from food is especially concerning for toddlers and infants.

Who May Be Affected?

A child may be affected if they ate WanaBana, Schnucks, or Weis pouches after November 2022 and had a blood lead level of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter or higher soon after, the case definition used here. Symptoms are not always obvious, so a lab test is the clearest sign. Reported cases involve mostly toddlers and young children, though confirmed complaints ranged from infants to adults in their fifties. A family whose child was tested and diagnosed within three months of eating a recalled pouch matches the circumstances of the cases already filed in court. The median reported age in this outbreak was around one year old. Because every family’s timeline and test results differ, only an individual legal review can confirm whether a specific case fits what these lawsuits require.

Reported Injuries or Damages

The lawsuits allege children absorbed dangerous levels of lead, and possibly chromium, after eating the recalled pouches. Short-term exposure can cause headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, and anemia. Longer exposure has been linked to irritability, lethargy, fatigue, and muscle aches. Complaint allegations differ from the confirmed case counts kept by health officials, who classify reports as suspected, probable, or confirmed based on blood testing and follow-up. As of March 2024, officials had logged 519 total cases nationwide, though not every reported case has led to a lawsuit. No blood lead level in children is considered fully safe. Even concentrations as low as 3.5 micrograms per deciliter may be associated with lower measured intelligence and behavioral difficulties.

Recall and Regulatory Background

The October 2023 recall detailed above covers what changed and when the affected products were pulled from shelves. This section instead explains what FDA believes caused the contamination. FDA’s post-incident review found the contamination likely came from economically motivated adulteration, meaning something was probably added to the cinnamon to increase its value [6]. A recall does not automatically establish liability.

Evidence to Preserve

Families considering a claim over lead exposure from these pouches should preserve records that connect a specific child to a specific product and a specific diagnosis:

• The pouch package, lot code, or UPC, or a clear photo of it if the product has already been thrown away
• Store or online purchase receipts, loyalty-account records, or bank and card statements showing the purchase
• The child’s blood-lead-test results and other pediatric medical records, including follow-up testing
• Any correspondence with the retailer, WanaBana, or a healthcare provider about the exposure or the recall

Saving this evidence early, before it is lost or discarded, matters. It makes it easier for a lawyer to evaluate whether a claim fits what the courts have required in the cases already filed.

Filing Deadlines

Every state sets its own time limit for filing a lawsuit like this. That limit depends on where the child lives and when the exposure, the diagnosis, or the harm happened. Missing that window can end a claim completely, no matter how strong the underlying facts are. Waiting to gather every last piece of evidence before contacting a lawyer is not the safer choice. Anyone considering a claim over a child’s lead exposure should speak with a lawyer promptly, since only an individual review can confirm the applicable deadline.

Potential Compensation

A court or an approved settlement in a case like this may allow compensation for a child’s medical costs, including future monitoring. It may also cover pain and suffering tied to the exposure. The only settlement confirmed so far resolved one minor’s claim in Florida federal court on October 21, 2025. No public dollar figure exists, and no other verdict has been reported. Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Potential compensation, if any, is confirmed only through an individual legal review of a specific case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a WanaBana Applesauce Settlement?

Yes, there is a WanaBana applesauce settlement. A federal court approved it for a minor plaintiff, closing that family’s claim. The public docket does not say which defendant or defendants the settlement covers, or state a dollar amount, and no other settlement or verdict has been confirmed.

What Caused the Lead Contamination in WanaBana Applesauce?

The lead contamination in WanaBana applesauce traces to its cinnamon supply. FDA’s investigation named Negasmart as the cinnamon’s foreign distributor and placed it under import alerts in June 2024, and separately issued Austrofood, the pouches’ Ecuador-based manufacturer, a warning letter that August.

What Does the Research Say About Lead Exposure in Children?

Research on lead exposure in children goes beyond absorption: the World Health Organization says kids’ frequent hand-to-mouth habits raise how often they ingest contaminated material, and its clinical guidelines say a level of 5 micrograms per deciliter should prompt finding and stopping the source.

Is Dollar Tree Also Facing Legal Action over the WanaBana Recall?

Yes, Dollar Tree is facing legal action over the WanaBana recall. It is a co-defendant in the pending litigation, and FDA separately issued the company a warning letter in June 2024 for not fully clearing recalled pouches from its store shelves.

How Many Adverse Event Reports Has FDA Received About the Recalled Pouches?

As of March 2024, FDA had logged more than 200 adverse-event reports about the recalled pouches in its CAERS system, though the agency had confirmed only 90 of them as of January 31, 2024. That FDA count is separate from the CDC case tallies described above, which use different criteria.

Can I Still Get a Refund for Recalled WanaBana Pouches?

Yes, FDA’s recall notice told consumers to stop using the recalled WanaBana pouches and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions can also email the company directly at support@wanabanafruits.com.

References

1. https://web.archive.org/web/20240515235316/https://www.cdc.gov/lead-prevention/news/outbreak-applesauce-pouches.html
2. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-elevated-lead-chromium-levels-cinnamon-applesauce-pouches-november-2023
3. https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-advises-parents-and-caregivers-not-buy-or-feed-wanabana-apple-cinnamon-fruit-puree-pouches
4. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/wanabana-issues-voluntary-recall-wanabana-apple-cinnamon-fruit-puree-pouches-due-elevated-lead
5. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lead-poisoning-and-health
6. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-incident-response-activities-elevated-lead-and-chromium-levels-cinnamon-applesauce-pouches