FDA Announces National Recall of Fruit-Based Baby Food

The FDA said Initiative Foods voluntarily withdrew one lot of ‘Tippy Toes’ Apple Pear Banana Fruit puree because it may contain elevated levels of toxic residue from mold.

Juliette Fairley

Published: 2/17/2026, 1:38:47 PM EST

FDA Announces National Recall of Fruit-Based Baby Food — Photo of recalled Tippy Toes baby food. (Courtesy of FDA)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall of a popular brand of baby food sold at retail stores nationwide and online.

Initiative Foods voluntarily withdrew one lot of Tippy Toes Apple Pear Banana Fruit puree because it may contain elevated levels of patulin, according to an FDA advisory.

“The recalled Product was sampled under the Total Diet Study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which found elevated patulin levels higher than is common for these products,” an FDA official said.

The impacted product is limited to four-ounce plastic tubs packaged in pairs that have UPC 036800265783 and a July 17, 2026, Best Buy date.

The FDA describes patulin as a naturally occurring substance, known as a mycotoxin, which is produced by molds that may grow in various fruits, including apples.

Long-term exposure to patulin can lead to various adverse health consequences, including a potential for immune suppression, nerve damage, headache, fever, and nausea.

"At Initiative Foods, the safety of our consumers and their families is our highest priority,” Initiative Foods’ CEO and President Don Ephgrave said. “We are cooperating with the FDA to ensure strict review and enhanced safety measures across all our products. We thank our retail partners and customers for their understanding and prompt action on this matter.”

The Product may have also been distributed in the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico.

To date, the FDA said no illnesses have been reported.

In fruit-based baby food products, the most usual source of mold is the fruit itself, such as bruised apples, which can produce patulin, according to Ed McCormick, a food science consultant and founder of Cape Crystal Brands.

“Mold on raw fruit is not a rare sight,” McCormick told NTD. “What’s less common is toxin concentrations in finished baby food that cross thresholds because there are typically multiple safety checks."

McCormick is concerned about the residue of mold because infants are more vulnerable than adults to patulin toxins.

“Prevention starts with strict fruit screening, good storage, sanitation, and routine toxin testing,” he added. “You can’t depend only on appearance. Analytical testing is crucial.”

Last year, Sprout Organics voluntarily withdrew one lot of Sprout Organics® Sweet Potato Apple and Spinach pouches because it may have contained elevated levels of lead, according to a Sept. 16 FDA advisory.

The recall is applicable to 3.5-ounce pouches sold in Walgreens and some independent stores in the Southern region of the United States.