New Law Would Limit Arsenic Levels in Juices

A new bill being considered by Congress would limit the levels of arsenic and lead that are allowable in juices that would be similar to laws that already exist and limit the levels in bottled and drinking water.

According to Consumer Reports, the Apple-Juice Act of 2012 - which was recently introduced by Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) – would force the Food and Drug Administration to create and enforce standards regarding the presence of arsenic and lead in fruit juices. The FDA would have to launch the restrictions in two years time.

While limits on arsenic and lead levels currently exist for bottled and tap water, there are no restrictions when it comes to fruit juices. A Consumer Reports testing of 88 samples of apple juice and grape juice from five brands found nearly 10 percent of the samples had total arsenic levels that surpassed the drinking-water standards. Furthermore, 25 percent of the samples had lead levels that surpassed the bottled-water standards.

Arsenic is a known human carcinogen, and its ingestion has been linked to bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal, liver, and prostate cancers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

If you or a loved one have been harmed by a dangerous product that has eluded government regulations and poses a danger to the public, contact Sokolove Law today to learn more about pursuing a product liability lawsuit. 

Tags: