Popsicle® brand treats recalled due to undisclosed milk

Nothing is more synonymous with summertime fun than a tasty, frozen fruit treat.  For years, those with milk allergies have enjoyed Popsicle® treats because they are refreshing AND contain no milk, products.  But this week some milk snuck into this well-known milk–free zone and caused a health alert.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Unilever United States, Inc. are working together to alert consumers about some specific mislabeled 24-count boxes Popsicle® brand Sugar Free Orange, Cherry and Grape flavored ice pops that inadvertently contain Popsicle® brand Sugar Free Healthy Bunch® Fudgsicle® and Creamsicle® ice pops.

Consumers who are allergic or have a severe sensitivity to milk could experience a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they eat the ice pops that contain milk.

To determine if a box of the ice pops is affected, look for the bright yellow paper box, containing 24–1.65 FL OZ (48.7 ML) POPS with a unit UPC code of 7756702295. The UPC code is printed just below the bar code.

Photo:  FDA

Next, look at the date code stamped on the outside of the with date codes. ONLY the date codes below are affected by this alert. 

• OCT0312GCD
• OCT0412GCD
• OCT0512GCD
• OCT0612GCD
• OCT0712GCD. 

The affected ice pops (with milk) are individually wrapped and have the “Fudgsicle®” and “Creamsicle®” symbol printed on the wrapper. 

  

The product was produced and packaged in the United States and distributed to several states including: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.

  

Consumers who have purchased the Popsicle® brand ice pops shown above should discard the treats inside, but retain the outer box.  A replacement coupon can be obtained calling 800-896-9552.

An alert will also be listed on the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) web site www.foodallergy.org and notifying FAAN’s members. 



For more details, see the FDA Recall Notice, or visit www.popsicle.com.

If your child has a milk allergy, try this adorable storybook about a young cow who is allergic to milk. Along with delightful artwork, this book's simple and clear explanation about milk allergies will help youngster's understand why they can't always eat what their friend's do.  Having a friend with the same allergy, like Cody the cow, can help empower children to make healthy choices for themselves.  

Bravo Sports Issues Safety Recall for Disney Pogo Sticks

Bravo Sports, headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California, manufactures and distributes outdoor sporting goods. If you can sit on it, ride on it, roll on it, or jump on it, Bravo probably has a product for that. But when it comes to pogo sticks, they are having to serious consider their quality assurance process. 

For the second time in 2011, Bravo is recalling thousands of pogo sticks for safety hazards. In March 2011 they recalled 169,000 pogo sticks when it was discovered that the metal frame tubes were breaking during use, creating a laceration hazard. The company received 123 reports of this issue, and 9 injuries ranging from facial scratches to broken teeth.

In that recall, consumers who had purchased the Rocket Stick Pogo, Pop Stick Pogo, Monster Stick Pogo and Twin Stick Pogo models were advised to stop using the product, contact Bravo and were given a full refund. 

On Friday, July 29, 2011, Bravo announced yet another recall of 159,000 of their Disney licensed line of pogo sticks. They were sold from February 2009 through June 2011 at Burlington Coat Factory, Kmart, Target, Toys R Us, and Kohls.com. They sold at a retail price of about $20 each.

In this case, the rubber pads that cover the foot pedals is wearing off too quickly, creating a slipping hazard. When hands are holding firmly onto the handles, the user is unable to use their hands to protect their fall when the footing is unexpectedly lost. In addition to this fall hazard, a problem was found with the plastic handlebar covers that serve to cover the raw metal ends of the metal handlebar tubes.  The plastic covers can slip off, exposing the user to sharp metal edges that creating a potential laceration hazard.

In this latest recall, Bravo has received 82 reports of the foot pedal issue (5 injuries).  The pogo sticks affected now are the:

• Disney Hannah Montana Pogo Stick
• Disney/Pixar Toy Story Cruising Cool Pogo Stick
• Disney/Pixar Cars Pogo Stick
• Disney Princess Pogo Stick 
• Disney Fairies Cruising Cool Pogo Stick

The Disney name label is located between the handlebars. The manufacturing dates of the products can be found on a clear label on the frame near the foot pedals. Only those sticks with a manufacturing date code of 01/01/2009-022CO and 11/30/2010-022CO are involved in this recall.

As with the earlier recall, customers are advised to stop using the product, and contact Bravo to receive a full refund.  Bravo can be reached toll-free at (855) 469-3429, or on their website at www.bravopogorecall.com.

Cute Clothing Creates a Choking Concern

Don’t count on buyers always thinking about safety when selecting clothing for infants. You, as a smart consumer, must always be diligent. As we have talked about often on this blog, simple clothing without accessories that can pull off, are always the safest choice.

Photo: CPSC

Once again cute clothing creates a choking hazard, as Target stores and Target.com announced a recall today for about 51, 700 white infant girls sandals.  Although no injuries have been reported, some consumers reported that the small white plastic flowers that decorate the shoe can be detached, resulting in a small part.  Small Parts are a serious choking hazard concern with children under three years of age.

The white Circo Aloma sandals have the Circo name embossed into the tread design of the sole of the footwear.  The Circa line is excusive to Target and these particular sandals were sold in their stores nationwide and online from January thru May 2011.  The sandals sold in infant sizes 2 -5 for $10 a pair.

If your precious little girl has a pair of these sandals, stop using them immediately and return them to any Target store for a refund.  Target Guest Relations can be contacted Monday through Friday at (800) 440-0680 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. 

Photos of the sandals are available here. 

Summer Salad Season Brings FDA Warning

Photo: Cook-Oui Chef

It's summertime, and that means salads and fresh vegetables will be flying off the supermarket shelves. Keeping an eye on contaminants in this fresh food is just as important as keeping an eye on calories.  On June 22, 2011, a possible contamination from Listeria monocytogenes has prompted DOLE® Fresh Vegetables to announce a voluntary recall of two fresh food products.


The first victim is 2,880 cases of DOLE® Italian Blend salad.
The affected packages are marked with a Use-by Date of June 19, 2011.  The UPC code to look for is 7143000819. It is printed on the back of the bag, beneath the barcode. The recall is for Product Codes 0049A157201A, 0049A157201B, 0049A157202A, 0049A157202B, 0686A157202A, 0686A157202B. The product code is printed on the upper right-hand corner of the packaging.

Victim number two is 442 cases of Kroger Fresh Selections Italian Style Blend salad. The Use-by-Date for the Kroger product is June 19, 2011. The UPC code to look for is 1111091045.  It is printed on the back of the bag, beneath the barcode. The Product Codes  for the recall on this item are A157201A & A157201B, also printed on the upper right-hand corner of the packaging.

Photos: FDA

According to the FDA recall notice, "... these products were distributed in twelve U.S. states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin) and three Canadian provinces (New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec).


Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium, can cause illness mainly in pregnant women or adults with compromised immune systems.  Symptoms might include fever, muscle aches, stomach cramps, nausea or diarrhea. In some more serious cases, it has been known to spread to the nervous system resulting in headache, stiff neck or confusion. 


Take a look in your fridge and check these dates and codes to be sure any DOLE® or Kroger Italian Blend Salad packages are not affected.  Retailers should have already removed this product from their shelves, but its best to check before you purchase.  If you find that you do have a product that matches the codes and dates listed above, return the product to your Retailer for a replacement or refund. You can contact Dole Food Company Consumer Response Center at (800) 356-3111. They operate Monday -Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (PDT). 

Kashi® Frozen Pizzas Recalled for Possible Contamination

     Their workplace offers employees noon-time activities like yoga or ping-pong, free breakfast to feed their brains, and weekend team building activities like mud-runs. For the past twenty-five years, Kashi® has represented and marketed their passion for wholesome whole grain cereals, bars and crackers.  Since 1985 their all-natural 7-Whole Grain Puffs, and its many successors, have been helping us all add a bit of healthy to our increasingly processed food supply.  In 2007 they began offering a line of frozen entrées that offered a healthier alternative to the high-sodium, chemically processed instant meals that were being zapped in workplace microwaves.

Photos:  FDA 

But earlier this week, Kashi® teamed up with the FDA to get the word out that they are recalling about 11,000 of their popular frozen pizzas after finding plastic fragments in one of the ingredients used to make the pizza crust.  Only the three pizzas listed below were in question, and no customers have actually complained.  

Kashi® is a popular brand in many retail grocery and food stores across the United States, so the recall was announced as soon as the concern was discovered.   Checking the Best if Used Before dates on the packaging will indicate if the pizza in your freezer is involved in this recall.

Product	Weight	UPC Code	Best If Used Before Dates
Kashi Mediterranean Thin Crust Pizza	12.7 oz	1862732905 3	May10 12NU, May18 12NU, or May19 12NU
Kashi Roasted Vegetable Thin Crust Pizza	12.2 oz	1862737342 1	May09 12NU or May14 12NU
Kashi Mushroom Trio and Spinach Thin Crust Pizza	11.9 oz	1862737344 5	May17 12NU

Customers who desire a free replacement may contact the Kashi® Consumer Care by phone at (877) 864-3521, or via their website at www.Kashi.com    

Cars and Strollers: Safety Belts Save Lives

illo from www.vote29.com

Here in Utah, seat belts are a big deal.  Lately the “Click it or Ticket” logo can be seen almost daily on billboards, in the news, and in television ads.  It’s a good law.  It saves lives, and it’s pretty obvious that when you get behind the wheel of an automobile, your life is in the balance.  So buckling up seems to be the smart choice.

But when it comes to infant strollers, those safety belts and harnesses are all too often left un-connected.  There is an arsenal of excuses for this, like “I just set him in the stroller for a minute while I was chatting with my neighbor,” or “I was only walking down to the mailbox, it’s not far,” or “I was in a hurry to get inside for that awesome one-day sale.”  Is it ever safe to deposit an infant in a stroller without engaging the seat belts and/or safety harnesses?  The simple answer is “No!”  

illo from www.cpsc.gov

Infants can surprise you.  You never really know when they are going to discover that if they wiggle to the left and then squiggle to the right they can inch their chubby little bodies right through one of those leg holes.  The problem is that their heads are almost always chubbier than their bodies, so while their body many slide through the hole, their heads can become stuck.  Dangling with body on one side of the opening, and their head and neck on the other side can result in strangulation and death. It can happen in only minutes, and it is totally preventable.

Most stroller manufacturers design strollers to minimize or eliminate this strangulation hazard, but it can happen even on fully compliant strollers.  In the case of four models of Lan Enterprises’ Zooper Strollers, manufactured between February 2009 and June 2010, the leg opening between the seat bottom and the front and side bars was found large enough for this hazard to occur.  These four models were sold nationwide  from May 2009 through May 2011. Although no injuries have been reported, Lan Enterprises is recalling the strollers and providing repair kits as a solution starting on July 1, 2011.

For details of the strollers recalled, click here.

For stroller safety tips from CPSC, click here.

BUG BOOTIES GET THE BOOT!

An infant as young as 4 months is mastering the ability to grasp and hold objects in their hands for extended lengths of time.  Almost everything they grasp goes into their mouth. If the child isn't holding a toy, rattle, or teether, he or she will find the next closest thing - their foot, clothing, or anything within their sphere of babyhood. 

When choosing clothing for young children, care should be taken to consider that while little ornaments and doo-dads are indeed fun and cute - they may also be quite deadly to a child who doesn't know the consequences of putting a small part in the mouth. It is best to keep ornamentation on infant and preschool clothing to embroidery or prints.  This is one way to decrease a child's unintentional access to small points.

On May 11th, another example of cute and potentially harmful clothing was take off the market.  Meijer Inc., a retailer headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan has joined with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to voluntarily recall their Bumble Bee and Lady Bug Infant Slipper Socks.   

About 17,400 of these slippers were sold in Meijer stores in five mid-western and southern states - Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.  The affected product, manufactured in China and retailed for $4.00, was sold from June 2009 through March 2011.

These little booties are adorable, but the concern is with the small pompoms that are sewn onto the bug’s antennae.  The soft balls may be able to be detached, posing a potential choking hazard to children under three years of age. These slippers were designed to fit infants from birth to 12 months of age.  The recall was initiated after Meijer became aware of one incident of a ball separating from the bug antennae and was found in the child’s crib. Fortunately, the ball was removed and no injury occurred.

photo from Meijer

CPSC describes the details of the items in there press release as:

“Falls Creek brand infant slipper socks, including yellow and black Bumble Bee Slipper Socks, UPC 80640907401, and red and black Lady Bug Slipper Socks, UPC 80640907402. The UPC is located on the sock’s hangtag. They were sold in infant size 0-12 months.” 

Consumers are warned to remove these booties immediately so children do not have access to them.  Call Meijer at (800) 927-8699 for refund.  For further details check the company website.

Girl's Sundress Recalled

More clothing in the news today.  A  specialty children's clothing company,  Matilda Jane Clothing, has voluntarily recalled about 1,500 girl’s “ Chelsa Dress “ due to a potential choking hazard.  The buttons, located as decorative accessories on the front bodice of the dress, can come off and present a small part.  The company received one report of a button coming off.  No known injuries were reported.

Photo:  CPSC

The dress, sold in sizes 2, 4 and 6, is a sleeveless sundress with a white /green polka dot bodice and a green/yellow floral print bottom, and finished at the hem with a dark green/lavender floral print ruffle. They were sold through in-home shows and online between February 1-25, 2011.

Consumers should stop using the recalled dress immediately and contact Matilda Jane Clothing for repair or refund.  Contact them at 260-424-3511 , recall@matildajaneclothing.com ,  or visit their website at www.matildajaneclothing.com .

View CPSC Recall Press release.

Drawstrings and Kids Fashions Don't Mix

     When you are choosing clothing for your child, be aware that fashion and safety are sometimes at odds.  Ask anyone who has tried to run in stiletto heels.  Jackets, sweatshirts and pants should not have drawstrings at the neck or waistline.  This is a hidden hazard that can be fatal.   CPSC is cracking down quite hard on this clothing no-no, in an attempt to decrease the number of injuries and deaths caused by  drawstrings in youth clothing.  The latest slap on the hand was delivered to Ms. Bubbles, Inc., a Los Angeles-based clothing manufacturer.  Not only did the company have to recall over 55,000 jackets in 2009, but they now are fined for not reporting the issue to CPSC earlier.

     CPSC announced that Ms. Bubbles, Inc. agreed to pay $40,000 as a civil penalty to settle CPSC claims that the firm “knowingly failed to report the strangulation hazard on a girls’ denim jacket sold through T.J. Maxx, J.C. Penney, and Forman Mills stores across the US from August 2006 through December 2007. 

Photo:  CPSC

     The jacket hood had a drawstring that was in violation of CPSC drawstring guidelines for clothing sized 2T-16.  Drawstrings in the hoods and waistbands of children and youth jackets and sweatshirts have been blamed for the strangulation death of over 20 children since 1985 when they became tangled in playground equipment, cribs or doors.

     United States federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers or report, within 24 hours, products that contain a significant product hazard, or knowingly violates an established CPSC safety regulation. Ms. Bubbles, Inc. denies that they knowingly violated the law.

Toy Stethoscopes Present Safety Hazard

     Two dress-up costumes, sized for toddlers, were recalled by Fun World, a division of Easter Unlimited Inc..  The Little Pet Vet and Dr. Littles costumes each sold for about $15 and included a toy stethoscope.  The plastic earpieces attached to the ends of the stethoscope can pull off, creating a potential choking hazard for children. 

     Fun World is not aware of any incidents or injuries, but is recalling about 18,000 of the costumes that were sold in costume, party and novelty stores throughout the U.S.A. from August through October 2010.

photo:  CPSC

The costumes, shown here, consist of a white lab coat, the stethoscope, scrubs and a cap.  The scrubs and cap come in pink, turquoise and light blue.

In accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the affected costumes have a mandatory tracking label sewn into the neck of the scrub shirt or lab coat.  Check the label for the tracking code 10060DG101 and the production dates of Jan-Mar 2010, or Apr-Jun 2010.

Fun World asks that you take the stethoscopes away from your child immediately and contact them at (800) 247-5314 or via email at  support@fun-world.net .

Toy Safety Requires Caregiver Diligence

Two new recalls this morning to keep an eye on:

The first is a linking toy with ball shaped rattle from Rhino Toys.  The yellow clips connecting the links to the ball broke on one (that’s what I said – O-N-E) toy in the hands of the consumer, posing a potential choking hazard.  No injuries were reported.

Sold for about $8 at Toys R Us and other small retailers from April through December 2010. Customers are being asked to take the product away from their child immediately. Contact Rhino Toys (888-250-9969) for a full refund. 

The other is a wooden floor activity center from Manhattan Group.  The small wooden pegs that hold the xylophone keys onto the side panel can fall out, creating a choking hazard for young children.  There has been one (that’s what I said – O-N-E) toy in the hands of the consumer.  No injuries were reported.

Sold for about $90 at specialty retailers and mail order catalogs from December 2010 through February 2011. Customers should stop using the product immediately. Return it to the retailer from which it was purchased, or call Manhattan Group directly (800-541-1345) full refund or replacement.           

    There must have been more going on behind the scenes to allow only one incident to create these recalls.  I say this because the method in which the small part was released was not revealed.   Did the clip break while an infant was slurping on it during normal play, or was something else at work here?  Imagine how much strength it would take for an infant to press both ends of the plastic clip in opposing directs before it would snap.  If this indeed was the case – the Incredibles’ baby is on the loose!  

     But to be serious, if you have older siblings in the home, then carefully consider any toys you give your children, particularly your infant or toddler.  They may not have the strength to break the toys, but big brother certainly might. Wooden Toys are appealing and normally very durable, but they often depend on glue alone for securing small accessories.  When small parts are attached to a toy simply by glue, there is a real damage of that glue drying out over time allowing inquisitive little fingers, to tug and pull it off.  In addition, in wooden toys we often see the “part into hole” connection poorly designed, so very little glue even reaches the end of the part it’s supposed to be holding.   Naturally, any small part that releases from a toddler toy during use goes directly into the mouth and creates a real potential for choking.

TOY SAFETY TIPS:

• Toys that can undergo YOUR manipulation, pulling, bending and tweaking are more likely to be safe for your child.  Test it with your child in mind our before you give it to your child to play with. 

• Also - Check the toy box often for broken toys and remove any that are damaged or look like they are about to break.  

Children's Product or Home Decor?

Sometimes I am truly amazed that I am still alive!  Growing up, I played on fallen trees in the forest behind our Pennsylvania home; I was carted around the county fair on a flimsy folding stroller; My favorite game included marbles; I drank out of plastic baby bottles probably laden with BPA; I know I chewed on the lead paint in my brothers die cast cars; and as a teenager, my bedroom door was decorated with a hippie–inspired pink and purple bead curtain.  Any one of those things alone would send CPSC, Consumer Reports and many Prop 65 prosecutors into a feeding frenzy!

Today the Consumer Product Safety Commission essentially told Target stores that they can’t market bead door curtains to children under 12 years of age. 

The strands of beads can be unintentionally manipulated during normal use to form a loop that could entangle or strangle a child.  There have been no deaths, but Target has received three customer reports of endangerment. The youngsters were 6, 9 and an unknown age, and all three suffered scratches and cuts from the beads grabbing onto their necks as they walked through the curtains.

The real problem was with how the door curtains were marketed.  The packaging demonstrated that there clearly was a known hazard.  The label reads: "Not for use in areas with children under 5 years of age. Plastic ornaments may pose strangulation or entanglement hazard. Not for use near cribs or playpens." The assembly guide also warned customers not to tie the bottom of the beaded curtains into loops.  The artwork on the packaging shows the curtains being used on a doorway that obviously was decorated like a young girl’s bedroom.

There is a lesson to be learned here.  If the beaded curtains had been clearly marketed for adults, and it was the parent who decided to put the beads over their child’s door – would a recall have been required in the event that scrapes and cuts had occurred on the children?  It was the manufacturer’s presentation of intended use in a child’s doorway that was at issue here.

Now personally I would never have considered door curtains as a children’s product, but the CPSC has been broadening their definition of what constitutes a children’s product since publishing their final interpretive rule for defining a children’s product.  These guidelines were created as a result of the total confusion caused by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). They were meant to clear the gray haze left by the CPSIA, in which a children’s product was defined broadly as “a consumer product designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger.”  In fact it created more questions than providing answers.  

What do you think?  

• When does home decor become a "children's product?'  
• What totally unsafe, but completely carefree activity did you participate in as a child, and live to tell about? 

IMPORTANT Crib Safety Alert!

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) has issued several safety alerts (recalls) for the Generation 2 Worldwide baby cribs.  In February/March 2010 they issued warnings on the  “ChildESIGNS” drop-side cribs.

This most recent safety warning warns consumers that the "SafetyCraft" brand full-size and non-full-size drop-side cribs also manufactured or distributed by Generation 2 Worldwide, contains the same plastic drop-side hardware as that found in the “ChildESIGNS” brand recalled in 2010. 

The plastic hardware securing the crib’s drop-side rail can break which could result in the drop side rail detaching at the corner of the crib.  This creates a gap between the crib frame and the mattress.  This gap presents a safety hazard in which an infant could slide into the opening and be unable to free itself from this life-threatening situation. CPSC has received information showing three infants suffocated to death after being trapped between the mattress and a broken side panel of the crib. In addition, twenty more incidents involved the crib's drop side detaching from the crib. Five reports indicated children fell out of the cribs due to a drop side rail detaching.

CPSC also stresses the need for parents and caregivers to stop using these cribs immediately and replace the crib as soon as possible with a crib that complies with the new federal requirements (See my earlier post on Baby Crib Safety - Part 1.)   Consumers should NOT attempt to repair the crib.  No repair kit will be offered.  Generation 2 Worldwide went out of business in early 2005. The SafetyCraft name was later purchased by Foundations Children's Products of Medina, OH.  “SafetyCraft “cribs manufactured and sold by Foundations Children's Products are not the subject of this recall. You can identify a new Foundations SafetyCraft crib by looking for Foundations name printed on the assembly instructions attached to the mattress support board under the crib mattress.

Generation 2 Worldwide’s ChildESIGN cribs were sold at large retailers that include K-Mart, Buy Buy Baby and Wal-Mart. However, because Generation 2 Worldwide is no longer in business, it is likely that other smaller retailers also sold their cribs. The cribs cost between $60 and $160.  Specific retail information is not available for the SafetyCraft cribs.

According to CPSC, you can use the following guidelines to check your crib to see if it falls within the scope of this recall. 

• The name “Generation 2 Worldwide” shows on a label applied to the crib’s headboard/footboard.
• Some labels identify Dothan, Ala as the place of manufacture
• Others identify country of manufacture as China.
• The name “ChildESIGNS” may be printed on the teething rail
• The name "SafetyCraft" shows on a label on the crib's headboard or footboard.
• Labels on the crib may identify the place of manufacture as Indonesia or Dothan, Alabama.
• The latest warning involves all SafetyCraft drop-side cribs, including model 92-8112, manufactured and/or sold by Generation 2Worldwide.

Some of the model numbers on the ChildESIGN cribs include: 0-110X, 10-210X, 21-110X, 20-710X, 64-315X, 26-110X, 90-257X, 20-810X, 46-715X, 64-311X, 74-315X, 21-815X, 21-810X, 20815X, 308154 and 54915.  (NOTE:  the "X" is inserted to show any number)

The latest warning involves all SafetyCraft drop-side cribs, including model 92-8112, manufactured and/or sold by Generation 2 Worldwide.

If you identify your crib as one involved in this recall, contact the retailer from whom you purchased the crib.  You should be able to receive a refund, a replacement crib, or store credit.

The CPSC requests that any consumer who has difficulty in resolving this with the place of purchase should advise CPSC at their recall hotline (800) 638-2772.