Food recalls are quite common, but it is not common knowledge that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also recalls some products that fall in the gray line between food and consumer products. This is a very important job as it helps Americans be safer and be able to trust that the items that they find in stores are safe for them to use and consume. Sadly, there is one product that the FDA has issued a recall about, the Gerber Soothe ‘n’ Chew teething sticks, that still has not been fully recalled despite the warning.
This is not the first time the FDA alerts the public about this specific product, remarking that it poses a grave risk of choking for both infants and toddlers, but it seems like the public is not being properly counseled and that stores are still deciding to carry them despite warnings. This last recall had as a date the 18th of April, but it can still be found both online and in physical stores.
The Gerber Soothe ‘n’ Chew teething sticks FDA recalls
While it might sound benign, after all a teething stick should have been formulated to avoid choking hazards, this product does not meet the requirements, in fact, there have already been several cases of small children choking which is what prompted the first recall. It was issued at the beginning of the year, the 31st of January to be precise, and the FDA accompanied it by a statement explaining their reasons for discontinuing the Gerber Soothe ‘n’ Chew.
This product had a very large reach when it was distributed, as it was sold across hundreds of big and small retailers across all 45 states and some of the US’s territories, including Puerto Rico. The idea was a good one, and since it was formulated along with major food producer Nestle many parents trusted the product and gave it to their children without any qaulms about the dangers it could present for their children, which is what led to the choking cases we saw at the beginning of the year.
Despite the risks, it seems like no children have passed away from this product, and the company worked with the FDA to issue the recall before anything could happen to more children.
There are five states that did not distribute this product, Alaska, New Mexico, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming, so if you live in one of these states you will not have the product on your panty. For those who bought one of the two flavors, it is important to not give it to your child and return it to the store you bought it from so that you can get a refund. Despite seeing it in shelves, do not purchase this product, it has not been reformulated, instead tell a manager and call the FDA to report the sale.
In fact, this is the reason for the second recall, as it seems like many establishments ignored the recall order and continued to sell the product, prompting many concerned parents to call and report the continuing access for those who had not been made aware of the recall.
Although all products have been recalled, you may have other products that look similar or fulfil the same purpose. This recall affects specifically the:
- GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04618 7, all lot codes
- GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04608 8, all lot codes
- GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 1.59 Oz (45g), with UPC 0 15000 01015 7, all lot codes