Pepin Heights Orchards Issues Cider Advisory

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Pepin Heights Orchards is advising consumers to discard certain Pepin Heights brand Honeycrisp Apple Cider.

The Minnesota Agriculture Department says lab tests found some product may be contaminated with a mycotoxin called patulin.

Lake City-based Pepin Heights says the advisory is precautionary. No illnesses have been reported.

The advisory applies only to Honeycrisp cider with the "use by" date of Feb. 9, 2012. No other batch of Honeycrisp cider or any other Pepin Heights Orchards products are included in the advisory.

The affected product was sold in half-gallon plastic jugs in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Patulin can be found in fruits, vegetables and other foods. It is not eliminated by pasteurization.

Retailers and consumers may call Pepin Heights at (800) 652-3779 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central time.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)