January 2022 Recalls
The U.S. FDA and CDC announced a recall on packaged salad linked to national Listeria outbreaks. The Dole Company’s, prepackaged salad products have been recalled while the CDC investigates packaged salads produced by Fresh Express, a subsidiary of Chiquita Brands International. Listeria monocytogenes is infecting customers through the consumption of prepackaged salad. Listeria is a foodborne illness with symptoms of diarrhea, fever, headache, muscle aches, and more, depending on the health status of the infected individual. This pathogen can be found in vegetation, dairy, eggs, and fully cooked meat. As for the prepacked salad, there have been 16 illnesses, 12 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths as of now. In most cases, the illness can be treated by antibiotics but can be fatal for young children and individuals with compromised immunity. Dole has ownership of the various brands that were producing contaminated products. These include Kroger, Market Side, Nature’s Promise, and Simply Nature to name a few brands that are very common in stores like Stop and Shop, Kroger, Walmart, and Target. These are popular household names that are frequently used by consumers and can pose a great threat to several people. At this time it’s recommended to avoid buying prepackaged salad until the infected batches have been eradicated. The infected batches include mixed greens, garden salads, Caesar kits, and many other types of salads in bags with a “Best if used by” date from 11/30/21 to 01/08/22. If you have any packaged salad from the above brands bring your item back to the location of purchase and receive a refund for the item. Questions about the Dole recall should be directed to the Dole Consumer Response Center at 800-356-3111, Monday—Friday, 8:00am to 3:00pm.
The Procter & Gamble Company is voluntarily recalling countless cosmetic aerosol hair spray products containing cancer-causing chemicals. Aerosol spray hair products from P&G’s subsidiary brands Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Old Spice, Hair Food and more have been identified as containing a cancer-causing chemical by the name of Benzene. The products are from each one of the above brands in their dry shampoo and dry conditioner sprays. P&G notes that the sprays are the only products affected and other products in these lines are safe for use. This list of over 25 aerosol products is available on the FDA website for further information. The various sprays, like all of P&G’s cosmetic products, do not include Benzene in the ingredient list. The levels of Benzene are traced from the propellant that works to push the contents out of the aerosol can. Benzene is a human carcinogen that can result in various types of cancer. High levels of this chemical can be a major health concern but according to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences” (2021). Although P&G is backed up with this claim that their products don’t emit a large amount of the chemical, they still decided it’s best to pull the product to prevent any health risks. Benzene is a chemical that most people are unaware surrounds them daily. This is a cancer-causing chemical, but it’s said to be used in many products in low potency. There have been no adverse medical concerns for consumers currently. To maintain optimal health is crucial to stay away from these products until the company addresses safety again. Retailers have been alerted and are prepared to reimburse all customers that purchased these products. If you have concerns or are experiencing an adverse event associated with a recalled product call, 1-888-674-363 to reach the customer care team. This line is available from Monday- Friday from 9:00 am- 6:00 pm.
40,000 children’s bunk beds are being recalled after the death of a 2-year-old. Angel Line, a New Jersey based furniture company has stopped the manufacturing of their Angel Line Bunk Bed with angled ladders due to a safety hazard. The threat of strangulation and suffocation was highlighted when a 2-year-old boy died from being caught between the gap of the ladder and the bed. After inspecting this tragedy, it was determined that the metal hook that fastened the ladder to the bed was not secure. This inconsistency left the ladder with a loose connection to the bed, creating a hazardous gap where children can easily injure themselves or worse. The recalled products include the Fremont Twin over Twin Bunk Bed 71210-21, 71210-49 and 71210-67, Creston Twin over Twin Bunk Bed 71230-21, 71230-49 and 71230-75, and Brandon Twin over Full Bunk Bed 71420-21 and 71420-75. To remedy this situation, the company has issued a statement that all beds must be repaired for safe use. Consumers should stop using these products and reach out to Angel Line for reimbursement or repair. If you are someone that owns this product, visit https://www.angelline.com/ for more information on repairs and replacements.
