June 25 (UPI) -- Keurig Dr Pepper has pulled a brand of bottled water off store shelves after testing showed they may contain dangerous levels of the deadly chemical arsenic.
The company said its Penafiel unflavored mineral spring water was recalled "due to the presence of violative levels of arsenic."
Consumer Reports has detailed high levels of arsenic in Penafiel since 2009, and Keurig testing has shown levels of 17 parts per billion. The company ultimately decided to recall the water after consulting the Food and Drug Administration.
"Arsenic when present in the diet at very high levels, well above those detected in recent samples of Penafiel, is associated with numerous chronic diseases," Keurig said in a statement.
"It's about time," William Wallace, manager of safety policy at Consumer Reports, said. "We urge all food and beverage companies to eliminate arsenic and heavy metals in their products to the greatest extent possible and to immediately get products with concerning levels off the market."
All unflavored Penafiel mineral spring water products of all date codes are included in the withdrawal.
"Keurig Dr Pepper has recently installed enhanced filtration systems at its facilities that produce Penafiel, and the product now being produced is well within regulatory guidelines."
Arsenic is a naturally-occurring chemical that's found in many minerals. The maximum level allowed in drinking water is 10 parts per billion.
