Report: High arsenic levels found in juice

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 14 (UPI) -- A study of juice boxes found a percentage of the items had arsenic levels higher than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended limit, scientists say.

The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times said Friday it commissioned testing of eight national brands and one local brand of kid-friendly apple juice boxes to determine if the items pose any risks to consumers.

Testing on the 18 samples taken from the nine brands found more than 25 percent of the juice boxes contained arsenic levels above FDA officials' so-called level of concern regarding heavy metals in juices.

While those samples reportedly contained between 25 and 35 parts per billion of arsenic, one FDA official said there was no reason for concern. The FDA level of concern sits at 23 parts per billion.

"We don't have any evidence at this point to say that we feel there's a risk issue that you need to be mindful of," said P. Michael Bolger, FDA chief of chemical hazards assessment.

The Times said the brands whose arsenic levels surpassed the level of concern in the testing were Motts, Apple & Eve Organics, and Walmart's Great Value label.