Products posing hazards to users
Action solves problems and gets answers for you.
By Times Staff
Published March 21, 2006
The following products, distributed nationwide and in Florida, were recalled between March 10 and March 17:
-- Emess Design Group has recalled 21,300 Coca-Cola ElectroPlasma Lamps. An electric arc may occur between the metal bottle cap and a human contact point, posing a burn hazard. The lamps are in the shape of a Coca-Cola bottle, about 13.5 inches high. The interior of the lamps simulates lightning bolts. "Model No: 23-103" and "Lipan Industrial Co., Ltd." appear on a label at the bottom of the lamp's black base. The lamps were sold at Rite Aid stores nationwide during January 2006 for about $40. Return the item to a Rite Aid retailer for a full refund. For additional information, call Emess Design Group's Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-800-678-2579; www.emessdesign.com.
-- Jordache Ltd. is recalling 30,000 U.S. Polo Association Youth Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstring. The garments have a drawstring through the hood that can be a strangulation hazard. They were sold in a variety of colors and have U.S. Polo Assn. written on them. A sewed-in tag also reads "U.S. Polo Assn." The style number for these garments is 12-5169. The sweatshirts were sold at JC Penney stores nationwide from September through December 2005 for about $40. Remove or cut the drawstrings to eliminate the hazard, or return the garment to the store where it was purchased for a refund.
-- PlayPower LT Farmington Inc. has recalled about 3,600 Max Play Single Post and Kid Builders Arch Swing Sets. The connection between the swing set's horizontal top beam and the vertical end support post can break and cause injury. Both swing sets have metal frames in a variety of colors. The swings hang by chains from the top beam and have black flexible rubber seats. The frame of the Max Play Model 200096625 has vertical support posts with a horizontal beam connected across the top. The frame of the Kid Builders Arch Model 200122457 has arched end posts with a horizontal beam across the top. The swing sets were sold by PlayPower LT representatives directly to consumers from December 1997 through June 2004 for the Max Play Single Post Swing for about $900, and from May 2002 through November 2005 for the Kid Builders Arch Swing for about $1,800. Remove the swing's chains and seats from the top beam until a repair kit can be installed. PlayPower LT is contacting swing owners directly by mail and is providing free repair kits. For additional information or if you have not yet been contacted, directly call PlayPower LT toll-free at 1-800-265-9953, ext. 206, or visit www.littletikescommercial.com.
-- Olympus America Inc. has recalled 1.2-million various Olympus-brand 35mm film cameras because they pose a burn hazard. A defect in the cameras' flash circuit can cause them to smoke and overheat when they are turned on. The models affected include the Infinity Twin, AF-1 Twin, Infinity Zoom 200 series, AZ 200 series and Quantary Infinity Zoom 222 cameras. The model name is printed on the face of the camera. These cameras have a built-in flash. They were sold at department, electronic and camera stores, and mail-order retailers nationwide from January 1989 through December 1995 for between $220 and $365. Call Olympus toll-free at 1-800-480-1247 or visit www.olympusamerica.com for information about the free repair for this defect.
-- Current USA Inc. is recalling 1,000 AquaPod 12-Gallon Aquariums. These aquariums have three power cords, two for the aquarium lamps and one for the air pump. When only one of the two lamp cords is plugged in, the unplugged lamp cord can become energized, posing an electrical shock hazard to consumers. AquaPod Aquariums with model number 7050 are affected. The model number is not written on the aquariums, but is on the owner's manual and the packaging. They were sold in pet stores nationwide, pet merchandise catalogs and by Web retailers from December 2005 through January 2006 for about $240. Turn off the power at the breaker switch and unplug all the cords. Contact your local retailer or call Current toll-free at 1-866-276-8872 for information on receiving a free replacement aquarium. You may also visit www.current-usa.com.
-- Ho's Trading Inc. is recalling Fortune Star White Fungus because of undeclared sulfites. People with severe sensitivity to sulfites, especially asthmatics, run the risk of serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume this product. The Fortune Star White Fungus, packed in 3-ounce uncoded bags, were sold nationwide. Return the item to the place of purchase for a refund.
-- Unilever United States Inc. is recalling 36,560 pounds of chicken noodle soup because of undeclared milk protein. The product label does not specifically state that milk, which can be an allergen, is an ingredient. The products involved are 4.2-ounce boxes of Lipton Noodle Soup-Chicken Noodle with diced white chicken meat. Each label includes the establishment number P-18569 inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each label also includes one of the following best if used by dates: APR 27 07, APR 28 07, APR 29 07, MAY 02 07, MAY 03 07, MAY 04 07 or MAY 05 07. Each shipping case bears the code 4100000332. Each box bears the code 413320. The product was produced from Feb. 1-9, 2006. The product was sold to retail establishments nationwide and also shipped to military bases in the United States. Call the Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup recall hotline toll-free at 1-866-839-7008.
-- Inverness Medical Nutritionals Group has recalled about 64,000 Walgreens High Potency Iron Supplement because they are not in child-resistant packaging as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. The supplements were sold in a brown plastic bottle with Walgreens Finest High Potency Iron Supplement printed on the bottle's yellow and green label. The product sold at Walgreens retail stores nationwide from April through October 2005 for about $5. Keep out of the reach of children and return it to Walgreens for a free replacement.
-- H-E-B has issued a recall of its entire H-E-B Baby Food and Mom's Organic Choice product lines. The product lines were removed from shelves as a result of a few customer reports of pieces of glass inside the baby food jars of H-E-B peas, carrots and applesauce. Winell Herron, H-E-B Group vice president of public affairs, said that H-E-B will launch a full investigation into the incidents and work closely with its baby food suppliers to ensure that all safety measures are being taken when manufacturing the product. Return the baby food to the place of purchase for full refund. Customers with any questions or concerns can call H-E-B customer service toll-free at 1-800-432-3113.
Sources: Associated Press, Consumer Product Safety Commission, www.cpsc.gov or toll-free 1-800-638-2772; Safety Alerts, www.safetyalerts.com; Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov; USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, toll-free 1-800-535-4555, government food safety information, www.foodsafety.gov; and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
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