Parents and advocates concerned over the amount of arsenic found in apple juice have a powerful new advocate. New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone announced today the “Arsenic Prevention and Protection from Lead Exposure in Juice Act of 2012” or “APPLE Juice Act, ” which Pallone intends to spearhead through Congress.
At a press conference held on February 22 2012 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Pallone called the high levels of arsenic and fruit juices “absolutely unacceptable” and vowed to reach out to the FDA to stop infants and children’s exposure through these products. Pallone's bill demands measures to keep juice products safe.
The concern began with Dr. Oz revealed the results of his national investigation which indicated elevated arsenic levels in apple juice. Although Dr. Oz received considerable criticism for his announcement, Consumer Reports investigation conducted in the New York City area, including New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, found high levels of arsenic and lead in both grape and apple juice products on the store shelves.
In September 2011, New York Senator Chuck Schumer wrote a letter to the FDA and issued a statement in response to a growing concern for arsenic laced juice products. Schumer urged the public to buy locally produced juice to avoid the risk of arsenic exposure.
“While there is no cause for alarm and no need to stop drinking juice, a good option for juice makers and families who have concerns is to buy juice made from New York produced apples, which, like apples throughout the United States, do not use pesticides with inorganic arsenic in them.”
The Apple Juice Act of 2012, which Congressman Pallone drafted, takes the concern for arsenic a step further. If passed, the bill would limit the amount of arsenic and lead present in fruit juices and monitor all juice products, especially those that are imported and carry the highest risk of the dangerous contaminants.
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