An Indiana dad says that he found a disgusting mass of mold growing in his child’s Capri Sun juice drink. As it turns out, the problem is more common than the manufacturer, Kraft Foods, would like to admit.
As KMTV reports, dad Cameron Hardwick, of Columbus, Indiana, found the mold and posted about it on social media a few weeks ago. The Facebook post in question has since gone viral. At the time, he said that he noticed that one of the pouches in the multi-pack that he bought for his kids seemed lighter than the others, so he opened it.
For those unfamiliar, Capri Sun drinks come in aluminum pouches that the user pierces with a straw, so it’s impossible to access the contents without cutting the pouch open.
When Hardwick opened the unusual pouch and poured it into a glass, he noticed a blob of mold had grown inside of it, according to KSAT-TV .
“I shake it up some, only to find an unknown substance floating around in the package. To say we are irate would be an understatement… we don’t give these to our children often but will NEVER again.”
Hardwick did what just about everyone does these days whenever they encounter something disgusting or outrageous — he posted about it on social media.
https://www.facebook.com/cameron.hardwick/posts/10155810670936964
Since being posted on September 24, Hardwick’s videos and pictures have been viewed over 21 million times — and have been shared over 88,000 times.
As it turns out, however, mold in Capri Sun is not as uncommon as its manufacturer would like to admit. KMTV reporter Matt McKinney searched the internet using the terms “Capri Sun mold” and found an untold number of other hits.
In fact, Capri Sun admits on its own website that sometimes its juice pouches can get infected with mold.
“Although it’s rare, it is possible for food mold to grow inside containers of preservative-free juice drinks if the pouch is compromised or punctured in any way on its journey from our facilities to your grocery stores. Even if the hole is microscopic and not visibly detectable, it can be exposed to air.”
The good news is that the “naturally-occurring” mold is “unlikely” to make the drinker sick, so there’s that. In fact, as The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported in 2013, a Missouri parent found a greenish mold growing on the inside of their child’s Juicy Juice drink. The concerned parent took their child — and the package — to an area hospital, where they were told that the mold was non-toxic and that everything was going to be OK.
If you find that your child’s juice drink has been cultivating mold, check the manufacturer’s website for instructions on how to get a refund. And of course, in the rare event that your child gets sick after consuming juice containing mold, seek medical attention immediately.
