On May 13, 2025, Publix Super Markets, Inc. announced a voluntary recall of GreenWise Pear, Kiwi, Spinach & Pea Baby Food pouches due to potential lead contamination. The 4-oz pouches were produced by Bowman Andros LLC and were distributed to Publix grocery stores in eight states:
- Florida
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
- North Carolina
- Virginia
- Kentucky
The possibly contaminated pouches have product number 41415-00901 and a best by date of November 1, 2025 on the packaging.
Publix has informed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the recall, but has yet to publicly disclose how much lead was found in the baby food pouches. To date, there have been no reported cases of illness. Consumers who have purchased the product may return it to their local Publix store for a full refund.
Why Is This a Concern?
Lead is very poisonous if it gets into your body, even a small amount can be harmful. There is no “safe” amount of lead. Babies and little kids are especially at risk because their bodies are still growing, and they often put things in their mouths. The tricky part is that many children who are exposed to lead don’t look or act sick. But over time, lead can cause serious harm, such as learning problems or behavior issues. These effects may not show up until the child is older, after the permanent damage has been done.
Unfortunately, some baby and children’s foods sold in the U.S. still have detectable levels of lead in them. Although there are some guidelines in place to help reduce the amount of lead and other contaminants in foods, incidents still occur. For example, there have also been recent recalls on certain apple sauce pouches and vegetable purees. Foods can become contaminated with lead during the production and packaging process, or if the ingredients are grown in lead-contaminated soil.
In January 2025, the FDA shared new guidelines to help reduce lead in processed food for babies and children as part of the Closer to Zero plan. These guidelines are:
- 10 parts per billion (ppb)* for fruits, vegetables, mixtures, yogurts, custards/puddings, and single ingredient meats
- 20 ppb for root vegetables
- 20 ppb for dry cereals
Keep in mind that these FDA guidelines are not enforceable laws, so companies don’t have to follow them exactly.
Staying up-to-date on the latest product recalls is a helpful way to keep children safe from known hazards. We highly encourage you to sign up for our mailing list to get alerts on the latest recalls.
What Should You Do?
Check your cabinets to see if you have the recalled product in your home. If you do:
- Stop consuming the product immediately.
- Keep the product away from children.
- Return the pouches to Publix for a full refund or dispose of them safely.
If you and/or your child have used this product and have concerns, please talk to your doctor about a blood lead level test.
To Request a Refund:
Return the product to a local Publix store for a full refund. Publix customers with additional questions are encouraged to call Publix customer care at 1-800-242-1227 or visit their website at publix.com.
Click here to read the recall announcement from Publix.
*What is ‘parts per billion’ (ppb)?
The concept of a “part per billion” can be hard to imagine. So, how much is 1 ppb?
1 ppb = 1 part of something in 1,000,000,000 parts of something else.
That’s like:
- 1 penny in $10 million
- 1 inch in 15,738 miles
- 1 drop of water in a swimming pool
For more examples, see the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection‘s About Units of Measure’