Martinelli’s Apple Juice was recently recalled for unsafe arsenic levels, prompting shock and outrage online. The brand has long touted its recipe, which uses U.S.-grown apples instead of foreign concentrate and water. So the discovery of arsenic in the juice was especially shocking.
The Today Show shared a clip of its coverage of the breaking news on its TikTok page. Commenters were rightfully very upset.
“We have an important recall to tell you about,” the show’s host Savannah Guthrie announced during yesterday’s program. “One lot of Martinelli’s Apple Juice is being recalled for concerns of high arsenic levels.”
“But it says no additives of any kind!! WTH,” user Trinityfab wrote in the comments section.
According to a health brochure by the New York State Department of health, there are two different types of arsenic: organic and inorganic. Inorganic forms are harmful whereas their counterpart is not. Exposure to high levels of arsenic “can cause nausea, vomiting, abnormal heart rate, damage to blood vessels, and a sensation of ‘pins and needles’ in the hands and feet.” Long-term exposure can also cause skin darkening, the formation of small corns or warts, and an increase risk for certain cancers.
Which Martinelli apple juice bottles have arsenic and are being recalled?
The recall targeted 1-liter bottles with “best by” dates of March 9, 2026 and March 20, 2026. Per the news report, no injuries or illness have been reported since the recall was issued.
TikTokers used the platform to share their reactions to the news.
One woman sang a Martinelli song that touted the juice’s greatness.
“Martinelli’s, who would ever think it that the best way to eat an apple is to drink it,” she mockingly sang. “Drink Martinelli’s, it’s great.”
Another TikToker lamented about the recall, especially considering the other depressing circumstances of his life.
“I’m broke, I’m tired and they just recalled Martinelli’s Apple Juice,” he said.
Viral Martinelli apple juice plastic bottle trick resurfaces
The negative news is a far cry from the social media acclaim the brand recently enjoyed. Back in 2021, Martinelli’s gained widespread visibility online after customers discovered a strange fact about its plastic bottle.
“Did y’all know that Martinelli’s plastic bottles of apple juice sounds like an apple when you bite into it?” one TikToker shared with his viewers.
The brand enjoyed its “golden moment” that prompted hundreds of thousands, including Lizzo, to take a bite out of its apple to see if it really sounded like biting into an apple.
“Spoiler alert: it does!” the brand announced in a press release. “Various hashtags including #Martinellis and #AppleJuiceChallenge collectively have been viewed more than 316 million times on the popular platform, and the small plastic bottles have become as hard to find as toilet paper!”
However, the juice brand said it did not condone customers biting their bottles. It urged consumers to drink its juice instead and reiterated the freshness of its product.
The Daily Dot reached out to Martinelli & Co via email for comment.
