The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced the voluntary nationwide recall of YoCrunch yogurt products after consumers discovered dangerous plastic shards mixed in amongst the included toppings.
The FDA warned consumers not to eat the recalled products.
“Danone U.S. is voluntarily recalling YoCrunch products sold at retail stores nationwide due to the potential presence of plastic pieces in the dome topper,” said the FDA announcement. “If consumed, the plastic pieces could potentially cause a choking response.”
What’s happening?
Danone U.S., parent company of YoCrunch, announced the recall in mid-July following consumer complaints about plastic shards in the company’s products. It applies to YoCrunch products with expiration dates ranging from July through September.
A full, detailed list of recalled products can be found here.
“Consumer complaints have reported the presence of plastic pieces in the toppers, which have the potential to cause choking,” the FDA said in a statement. “The plastic pieces are transparent, may have sharp edges, and could present a risk to consumers because some pieces are between 7 and 25 mm [0.27 and 0.98 inches] in length.”
Information about receiving a refund for recalled products can be obtained via the YoCrunch Consumer Care Line at 877-344-4886, which is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
Why does the YoCrunch yogurt recall matter?
The recall highlighted the health risks inherent in the use of plastic packaging. While the YoCrunch situation is somewhat unique given the size of the plastic shards and the resulting recall, experts have warned for years that plastics pose a significant threat to human health and the environment.
Even under normal use, chemicals known as plasticizers, which are used to give plastic certain qualities like flexibility, have been found to leach into the foods and beverages that humans consume every day.
“Today, plasticizers — the most common of which are called phthalates — show up inside almost all of us, right along with other chemicals found in plastic, including bisphenols such as BPA,” according to Consumer Reports. “These have been linked to a long list of health concerns, even at very low levels.”
Testing nearly 100 different food products, Consumer Reports found the presence of these harmful chemicals to be widespread, without any apparent pattern as to which foods had the highest concentrations.
“The findings on phthalates are particularly concerning: We found them in almost every food we tested, often at high levels,” wrote Consumer Reports. “The levels did not depend on packaging type, and no particular type of food–say, dairy products or prepared meals–was more likely to have them.”
Researchers have linked exposure to these chemicals, even in small amounts, to significant human health risks.
“These chemicals disturb the body’s hormone systems and can cause cancer, diabetes, reproductive disorders, neurological impairments of developing fetuses and children, and death,” warned a comprehensive report from the Endocrine Society.
What’s being done about plastic in our food?
As Consumer Reports pointed out, there are many stages during the manufacturing and distribution process where plastics and their harmful chemicals can find their way into food products.
While the issue is not limited to products sold in plastic containers, taking steps to lower overall plastic consumption can help reduce the amount of plastic and plastic-related chemicals in our food, the environment, and, ultimately, our bodies.
Aside from using your voice, supporting candidates who share your priorities, and pushing for policy-level change, other helpful steps include repurposing single-use containers and making sure that what plastic you do use gets recycled properly.
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