Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to clarify that the recall was initiated in March and classified by the FDA last week, and to add in comment from the company.
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined thousands of cases of bottled water affected by a March recall are “not likely to cause adverse health consequences” in a new update.
In March, the FDA announced Natural Waters of Viti Limited was voluntarily recalling more than 78,000 cases of “Fiji Natural Artesian Water” due to manganese and three bacterial genera.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports manganese as a trace element that is needed in small amounts in our food and water. However, exposure to more than the usual requirement of manganese can lead to brain damage.
Last week, the FDA classified the recall as Class III, a status given to recalled products that are “not likely to cause adverse health consequences.”
The water was sent to the state of Washington before distribution nationally to customers through online retailers like Amazon.com, according to a March post on X from the company.
“The FDA classification announced yesterday relates to a matter from several months ago that never posed any health or safety risk,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to Nexstar’s KSNT. “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. There is no higher priority to us than the safety and quality of Fiji Water. There is no health or safety risk posed from manganese or bacteria in the recalled lots of FIJI Water. Moreover, FIJI Water conducts regular testing to ensure consumers enjoy the soft, smooth taste of FIJI Water that they expect and love.”
The water cases contained 24 bottles of water apiece, meaning about 1,884,792 individual bottles were affected. More details on the recalled cases can be found below:
- Case UPC Code – 6 32565 00004 3
- Bottle UPC Code – 6 32565 00001 2
- Production dates – Nov. 11, 2023; Nov. 12, 2023; Nov. 13, 2023; Nov. 24, 2023 and Nov. 25, 2023
Affected bottles of Fiji Water were only sold between February 1 and March 3 this year, according to the company.