More Hand Sanitizer Recalled For Looking Like Children’s Food Products

Amid continuing concerns about the risk of hand sanitizer poisonings, a line of products marketed for children are being recalled, since the packaging features designs that resemble food products, which may result in accidental ingestion and serious side effects.

The FDA announced an Smart Care hand sanitizer recall, affecting licensed hand sanitizers packaged in 0.84 fluid ounce child-themed pouches. The hand sanitizers were recalled because they resemble food and drink containers. No reports of adverse events or poisoning have been linked to the recalled products.

The design makes it more likely a child would ingest the hand sanitizer, thinking it was a juice box or other food product, according to the FDA. If a child were to ingest hand sanitizer they could suffer from alcohol toxicity which could lead to serious side effects, including death.

Symptoms of hand sanitizer toxicity could include lack of coordination, slowed or slurred speech, and drowsiness leading to coma.

In recent months, many hand sanitizer products have been recalled recently due to concerns of products packaged as drink bottles, including packaging that resembles vodka, water bottles, or soda bottles. Reports indicate a number of consumers have mistakenly ingested hand sanitizer and experienced serious side effects, leading to alcohol poisoning and other fatal injuries.

This latest recall includes all lots of  Smart Care children’s hand sanitizers packaged in bottles of various children’s characters. This includes PAW Patrol Hand Sanitizer, Jojo Siwa Hand Sanitizer, Hot Wheels Hand Sanitizer, Barbies Hand Sanitizer, Trolls Hand Sanitizer, and Minions Hand Sanitizer.

Hand sanitizer is intended for topical use to help reduce bacteria on the skin that could cause diseases when soap and water are not available. The use of hand sanitizer has been especially important in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic to help prevent infection of COVID-19.

The recalled hand sanitizers were manufactured by Ashtel Studios, Inc. in Ontario, California, and were distributed to selected retailers in the United States and Canada.

The FDA advises consumers who have any of the recalled products to destroy the product immediately.

Consumers can contact Ashtel Studios with questions regarding the recall at 866-Ashtel-1. Any adverse events or side effects should be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.