Menu: Parenting
By Jessica Parker
Updated: March 8, 2016
Originally Published: March 8, 2016
Recently, a well-known children’s food brand has found itself facing scrutiny on social media due to contamination concerns. GoGo Squeez has voluntarily recalled some of its applesauce pouches over “quality concerns.” Residue from food products was detected in two pumps at one of their production sites, leading to the conclusion that some of this residue might have made its way into the final product. Fortunately, no illnesses have been reported, and the recall was conducted voluntarily. The company has halted all production until they can identify the source of the residue.
The company explained the nature of the residue as follows: “Based on our experience, we believe the residue is a buildup of applesauce or apple puree. During our process, we remove the skin of the apple and crush the fruit into a puree early on. Later, our pasteurization process is designed to eliminate any contaminants that could pose a public health risk, so we don’t consider the buildup of apple puree a health threat. Moreover, we conduct extensive testing on our applesauce, and we haven’t found any evidence of this issue in our pouches. Nevertheless, we are recalling certain products as a precaution.”
As far as recalls go, this one seems relatively mild. No illnesses reported. It was a voluntary measure. However, the mere mention of it has reignited concerns among parents, many of whom have previously complained about finding mold in these pouches. As reported by Buzzfeed, “parents have been expressing their worries for months about mold in their snacks.”
It’s worth noting that no mold was identified in the recent incident. Yet, this hasn’t stopped individuals from connecting the dots and worrying about whether they might be feeding their children moldy snacks.
This anxiety is understandable; no one wants to serve their child a product that has been voluntarily recalled. Media images amplifying these concerns don’t help the situation either. However, it might be a good time to pause and take a deep breath. There have been zero reports of illness linked to this recall. Yet, people seem to conflate the term “food residue” with “mold,” even though no mold has been mentioned. But even if there were, can I just say… it’s not the end of the world.
We all want to provide our kids with preservative-free food, and that’s commendable. But let’s face it—most of us don’t have the time to make it ourselves. So, we turn to the market for these healthy fruit pouches, hoping to feed them to our children without worry.
Here’s the reality: when you opt for preservative-free food, you open the door to the possibility of mold. It’s a scientific fact. If fresh fruit is exposed to air, mold can form. Even the tiniest, invisible puncture in the pouch can trigger this process. If we are committed to giving our kids fresh fruit (which we absolutely should be), we shouldn’t be overly shocked when a natural occurrence like mold happens.
Remember that story that circulates every few years about how a McDonald’s Happy Meal won’t mold if left out indefinitely? (That’s been debunked, by the way.) People are appalled at the thought of food not showing natural signs of decay. Yet, when they do encounter something entirely normal—like mold—they panic. What do we actually want? If we desire natural food, free from preservatives yet completely devoid of mold, that’s simply unrealistic.
The company has been addressing each complaint and inquiry on their social media page. Honestly, if a brand is facing such a situation and handles it transparently with a voluntary recall, I’d be more inclined to support their products rather than shy away.
If fruit products are to be packaged in pouches, they should ideally be transparent. This could alleviate much of the anxiety surrounding these products. Until that becomes a reality, we shouldn’t be surprised when mold—a natural phenomenon—occurs. It’s unpleasant, but so is the back of the fruit drawer if we don’t eat all the fruit in time. Following a previous mold incident—like the Capri Sun case—experts from the Poison Control Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia noted that while ingesting mold may be unappetizing and potentially upsetting to the stomach, it is usually not dangerous.
In summary, choosing preservative-free options can lead to natural occurrences like mold, and while this may cause concern, it’s important to remember that it’s part of the process when opting for fresh food.