State officials issue health advisory for mold-infected cider

State officials are urging consumers to discard jugs of Minnesota Harvest brand apple cider, after product testing showed high levels of a mold toxin.

The cider was sold earlier this year in gallon and half-gallon plastic jugs at a Minnesota Harvest retail store in Jordan, Minn.

The state's Department of Agriculture issued the consumer advisory after state inspectors found the cider contained patulin, a mold toxin, a level nearly three times higher than the FDA limit.

No illnesses have been reported as a result of the contamination.

Patulin is found on moldy fruits, vegetables and other foods and is not destroyed by pasteurization. The short-term effects of patulin have not been clearly established, but the FDA has identified long-term exposure as a potential concern.

In a statement, the Department of Agriculture said Minnesota Harvest is "cooperating fully" with the investigation.