Drinks Sold in Idaho, California Tainted With Pesticide Recalled

If we were to open your pantry right now, how many boxes of tea would we find stacked on the shelf? If you can picture your stash, it might be time to do a quick inventory. You may have tea contaminated with a toxic pesticide sitting on your shelves.

The USDA recently shared a voluntary recall issued by Oregon based East West Tea Company, LLC. According to the recall notice, certain lots of their Organic Yogi Echinacea Immune Support tea tested positive for pesticide residues above action levels.

Albertsons

Food & Wine reports that 54,000 boxes of the tea distributed nationwide are part of the recall. Each box of the tea comes with 16 tea bags, meaning that close to 900,000 individual tea bags may have come in contact with the pesticide.

The good news? It’s listed as a Class III recall which the FDA explains as “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.” That should make you feel a little better if you discover you have one of the affected lots and have already steeped a bag or two.

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The recall didn’t list what pesticide the product tested positive for but some pesticides can lead to cancer, immune and nervous system problems or reproductive issues in humans. Even if the recall is Class III, you probably don’t want to take your chances and would be wise to dump the box in the trash.

Canva

The tea is sold nationwide at major retailers like Albertsons, Walmart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Fred Meyer, Target, Vons and Ralphs. In addition to those large brands, it’s also carried at the Boise Co-Op, Natural Grocers and Winco.

The affected lot numbers are:

Lot #0000184330
Lot #0000184853
Lot #0000185098
Lot #0000185100
Lot #0000185383
Lot #0000185385
Lot #0000185387
Lot #0000185389
Lot #0000185434
Lot #0000185436
Lot #0000185828
Lot #0000185830
Lot #0000185832
Lot #0000186519
Lot #0000186521
Lot #000184062
Lot #0000186900
Lot #0000186902
Lot #0000186904
Lot #0000187357
Lot #0000187359
Lot #0000187400
Lot #0000187402
Lot #0000187769
Lot #0000188028
Lot #0000188030
Lot #0000188045
Lot #0000188114
Lot #0000186600
Lot #0000186910
Lot #0000187155
Lot #0000184691
Lot #0000184963
Lot #0000185381
Lot #000018551

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