What’s New
A Texas-based beverage company has issued a recall for more than two million cans of coconut water.
Tipp Distributors, Inc., doing business as Novamex, initiated the recall for Jarritos Coconut Water on November 4 after discovering that the hermetic seals on the lids of the cans may have been compromised.
In total, 169,438 cases (2,033,256 cans) have been recalled across 29 states.
Newsweek contacted Novamex via email outside of working hours on Wednesday for comment.
Why It Matters
The lid defects could allow contamination of the drinks, posing potential health risks to consumers. Though no illnesses have been reported so far, the recalling company has acted out of an abundance of caution.
Rubina A. Khan/Getty Images
What To Know
Details of the recall:
- Affected Product: Jarritos Coconut Water, 17.5 fl oz cans.
- Recall Number: F-0264-2025.
- Distribution: States affected by the recall include Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Class II risk classification for the recall. This refers to a “situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”
What People Are Saying
Food safety experts warn that a compromised seal can allow bacteria to grow in canned beverages, which can lead to severe foodborne illnesses.
According to Food Safety News, a “compromised hermetic seal may affect can integrity and may cause the cans to leak, bloat or allow bacteria, such as Clostridium botulinum, to grow inside the product which could lead to serious illness.”
As reported by Newsweek, botulism is a rare but potentially fatal disease caused by botulinum toxins, which block nerve activity and can lead to breathing and muscular paralysis.
Spores of this bacterium are heat resistant and, in the absence of oxygen, grow to produce a deadly toxin called botulinum.
The conditions of canned and vacuum-packed foods provide the optimal conditions for these bacteria to thrive, and when consumed they cause a condition called botulism.
What Happens Next
Customers who have purchased the affected coconut water should stop consuming it immediately, discard the product, or return it to the point of purchase for a full refund.
Questions about the recall can be directed to the company’s customer service hotline at 1-888-668-2639.
Anyone experiencing adverse health conditions after consuming a recalled or affected product should contact their healthcare provider.
