Mom Finds Mold Inside PediaSure Juice Box [Video]

A Wisconsin mom found mold inside a PediaSure juice box. Suzanne Hogue said she served the juice to her 5-year-old son, who is diagnosed with autism. As he cannot speak, Nathan was unable to tell his mother something was wrong. Suzanne said she did not find the mold until the box was nearly empty.

The mom said the remaining juice contained black, brown, and green mold. When she opened the box, she was stunned. The interior of the package was completely filled with mold. Suzanne said she was disgusted:

“… when I opened it up. I had no idea what it was. It was so repulsive and it had an odor… It is so hard as a mother to see that because your child has already drank half of the juice box and you see what’s in there and it breaks your heart to know that he drank it.”

Although Nathan did not get sick, Suzanne wants to warn other parents. She saved the PediSure juice box to underline her point. As juice boxes and pouches are opaque, it is impossible to see what’s inside. As a precaution, parents are reminded to smell the products or pour them into a glass before serving them to children.

It is certainly unnerving to find mold inside a child’s drink. However, the Milwaukee Health Department confirms that “mold ingestion via food products is typically not associated with severe health symptoms.”

As reported by Fox6 News, most children will not experience an adverse reaction after ingesting mold. Unfortunately, it can be a problem for those who are “medically diagnosed mold hypersensitivity or allergies.”

The mold issue is not limited to PediaSure drink boxes. Similar problems have been reported with other brands, including Kraft’s Capri Sun. Although it may seem disgusting, mold does not indicate an inferior product.

My Fox8 reports that mold forms when a product is exposed to air. A tiny hole, which may be otherwise undetected, is enough to let air inside and promote the growth of mold.

Following numerous reports of mold inside Capri Sun products, the company will add a clear panel to the bottom of drink pouches. The company did not confirm that the change is related to reports of mold. However, the new packaging will certainly help ease consumers’ minds.

Suzanne said she regrets that her son drank the moldy PediaSure. However, she learned a valuable lesson. The mom said she will be far more conscious of the packaging and the products she is serving her son.

[Image via C4.diapers.com]