Natural Waters of Viti Limited has voluntarily recalled more than 78,500 cases of Fiji Natural Artesian Water after tests revealed the presence of manganese and three different strains of bacteria.
Affected lots of the water were sold only on Amazon between February 1 and March 3 of this year – if you did not buy Fiji water on Amazon, in other words, then you have nothing to worry about.
According to Real Simple, the affected lots were also sold in the state of Washington.
An X post about the voluntary recall explains that nearly 1.9 million bottles of Fiji water sold on Amazon are included. They were all sold in 24 packs containing 500-milliliter bottles.
The recalled bottles have production dates (PRD) that include:
Nov. 11, 2023
Nov. 12, 2023
Nov. 13, 2023
Nov. 24, 2023
Nov. 25, 2023
The Case UPC Code printed on the recalled products is 632565000043. The bottle UPC Code is 632565000012.
"Fiji Water remains safe to buy and consume," the company reassured its customers on social media. "This is a quality issue only affecting the specific lots sold on Amazon.com."
(Related: There is also a cream cheese recall – is your brand on the list?)
Fiji recall not severe; company says no risk
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated this a Class III recall, which out of the three classes the agency has is the least severe.
A class I recall is issued for products that could cause "severe adverse health consequences," including death, while a Class III recall "is not likely to cause adverse health consequences."
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Manganese is not particularly offensive as it is merely a "naturally occurring substance found in many types of rocks and soil," according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Manganese is often found in beans, grains, nuts and some teas, and may also be added to foods or dietary supplements as a mineral.
The FDA says that bottled water in general typically contains "safe levels of manganese," with a maximum allowable concentration of no more than 0.05 milligrams per liter (mg/L).
A spokesperson for The Wonderful Company, which represents Fiji, told the media that customers need not be worried about manganese in Fiji bottled water as it "relates to a matter from several months ago that never posed any health or safety risk."
Harvard Public Health also classifies manganese as "a mineral necessary for human health but dangerous in large quantities."
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says manganese in typical amounts found in food and beverage has "not shown any harm," however "some people have developed manganese toxicity by consuming water containing very high levels."
As for the bacteria, the company is insistent that there is no risk involved with this, either. The levels detected are said to be below the amount considered unsafe, so consumers need not worry, the company says.
"It affected products that were sold through only one distributor, and 99% of all those affected bottles were reclaimed with the remainder in warehouses to be returned," the spokesperson added.
"There is no higher priority to us than the safety and quality of Fiji Water. There is no health or safety risk posed by manganese or bacteria in the recalled lots of Fiji. Moreover, Fiji Water conducts regular testing to ensure consumers enjoy the soft, smooth taste of Fiji Water that they expect and love."
If you or someone you know purchased Fiji Water from the affected lots, you are encouraged to call 1-866-406-4149 for more information or to have any remaining questions answered.
There are so many contaminated consumer products these days that it is sometimes hard to keep up. Learn more at StopEatingPoison.com.
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