Earlier this week, the FDA announced more brands have been added to the ever-growing list of hand sanitizers recalled due to methanol contamination.
Once again the FDA is expanding its list of recalled hand sanitizers. In an announcement earlier this week, the federal agency revealed there are now 87 different hand sanitizers included in the recall because they tested “positive for a toxic chemical called methanol, or wood alcohol.” Methanol can be dangerous because when it’s absorbed through the skin, it may result in short or long-term health issues. If ingested, it could even prove fatal.
In a comment about the recalled sanitizers, the FDA said:
“The agency is aware of adults and children ingesting hand sanitizer products contaminated with methanol that has led to recent adverse events including blindness, hospitalizations, and death.”
The agency first became aware of the tainted hand sanitizers earlier this month when it began seeing “an increase in hand sanitizers labeled to contain ethanol, but actually tested positive for methanol contamination.”
At the moment, many of the affected hand sanitizers have been voluntarily recalled and removed from store shelves. However, some products may still be available in stores. The current list of recalled hand sanitizer brands include:
Most of the affected products were manufactured in Mexico, except the Leiper’s Fork sanitizer, which was manufactured in Tennessee. For now, consumers who have the recalled products should “dispose of them in a hazardous waste container.”
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