Walmart recalls 44,000 fruit cocktail cans over lead risk: check your pantry
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- The FDA classified a recall of about 44,064 Great Value fruit cocktail cans as Class II over possible lead contamination.
- The 15-ounce cans were sold at Walmart in seven states. Check for lot code 6FCB 04 C2263 and best-by SEP 01 2027.
- Do not eat the cans. Return them to Walmart or throw them away. Children face the highest risk from lead.
Walmart is recalling more than 44,000 cans of its Great Value fruit cocktail. The cans may hold unsafe levels of lead. The FDA announced the recall on October 20, 2026. If you keep canned fruit in your pantry, check the label now.
What happened
Pacific Coast Producers started the recall on October 1, 2026. The company is a cooperative based in Lodi, California. It makes canned fruit for Walmart under the Great Value store brand.
The recall covers about 44,064 cans. That is 1,836 cases with 24 cans in each case, according to EatingWell. The product is Great Value Fruit Cocktail in Fruit Juice from Concentrate in 15-ounce cans.
On October 20, the FDA classified the recall as Class II A Class II recall means eating the product could cause health problems that are temporary or treatable The FDA also says the chance of serious harm is remote.
But there is still no safe level of lead, according to the agency.
The cans went to Walmart stores in seven states: Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wyoming No other states are affected No other lots of the fruit cocktail are affected either.
No other Great Value products are part of this recall.
You can tell if your can is part of the recall. The FDA listed the codes to check. Here they are:
- Lot code: 6FCB 04 C2263
- UPC: 078742369570
- Best-if-used-by date: SEP 01 2027
All three must match. If the lot code is different, your can is not part of this recall.
The FDA did not say whether the cans reached store shelves. But the company recalled the item at the start of October. So the cans are likely no longer on sale, according to Allrecipes.
Why it matters
Lead is a toxic metal It can harm anyone, at any age Children are at the highest risk.
Their brains are still growing According to Allrecipes, the FDA says lead can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children.
Adults are not safe either. Long-term lead exposure can lead to kidney problems, high blood pressure, and trouble with memory and thinking, according to Allrecipes. EatingWell adds that children and pregnant women deserve special concern.
This recall also follows other food scares at big retailers Just weeks earlier, frozen berries sold at Walmart and Trader Joe's were recalled over an E coli outbreak, according to USA Today.
Those recalls expanded more than once in October 2026.
Recalls like this are a reminder to read labels. A Canada cheese recall over listeria and a Costco turkey gravy recall pulled other pantry items this year. Even a discolored acetaminophen recall at Amazon showed that lot codes matter.
What happens next
Check your pantry first Look at the lot code on the can If it reads 6FCB 04 C2263, do not eat the fruit.
The best-by date SEP 01 2027 is the final clue.
If your can matches, return it to your local Walmart A refund is possible, according to EatingWell Or throw the can away.
Do not give it to others.
If you or your child ate the fruit and you are worried, see your doctor. That is the advice from Allrecipes. For more questions about the recall, call the FDA at 1-888-INFO-FDA, according to EatingWell.
The recall stays active while stores pull any remaining cans. The FDA will keep watching for new reports. No illnesses have been tied to the cans in the reports so far.
The lesson is simple. A can of fruit looks harmless. But when lead is involved, one label check can protect a whole family.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice.
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