A Recall on More Than 600,000 Gerber Baby Products Was Just Upgraded to the FDA’s Highest Risk Level

Concerned parents have a lot on their plates these days, especially given the uptick in virus news with the first pediatric measles fatality being announced today. The good news is that one way of keeping your little one safe is simply checking the kitchen for a product the FDA has just assigned with its top-risk warning.

On February 1, we reported that Gerber Products Company was voluntarily recalling and discontinuing all batches of Gerber Soothe N Chew Teething Sticks, citing consumer reports of choking incidents—and one reported emergency room visit at that time.

Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Wednesday that the recall is considered a Class I event. The FDA refers to Class I recalls as “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

A brief online search on February 26 suggests that some retail locations may still be selling the recalled teething sticks. (Our earlier report stated: “A brief search shows that the product may have been sold through retailers such as Walmart, Target, Amazon, CVS, Walgreens, and others.”)

The recall covers distribution in a large range of states—and Puerto Rico—but is not an official nationwide recall. The following states are mentioned in the recall notice: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Parents and caregivers can confirm whether they have the recalled teething sticks on hand by checking the following details. (Though it is not specifically stated by the FDA notice, it appears as though the total number of recalled cases have been included in the most recent notice for a reported total of 620,165 boxes.)

• GERBER SOOTHE N CHEW TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g)
  • UPC 0 15000 04518 7
  • All lot codes
  • 314,398 cases
  • 5 boxes per case
• GERBER SOOTHE N CHEW TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g)
  • UPC 0 15000 04608 8
  • All lot codes
  • 34,652 cases
  • 5 boxes per case
• GERBER SOOTHE N CHEW TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 1.59 Oz (45g)
  • UPC 0 15000 01015 7
  • 271,115 cases
  • 5 boxes per case

The products were manufactured at Gerber Products Co. in Fremont, MI, per the notice.

A press release from Gerber Products Company on January 31 confirms both the Strawberry Apple and Banana Soothe N Chew Teething Sticks have been discontinued as well, and states the recall is isolated to just those products. Gerber’s parent company, Nestlé-USA, Inc. in Arlington, VA, is listed as the official recalling firm in the FDA report. Nestlé also owns a wide variety of other brands, including Stouffer’s, DiGiorno, Nesquik, Hot Pockets, and Lean Cuisine.

Gerber’s press release encouraged consumers who are interested in a refund to return any of the recalled products to the retailer where it was originally purchased, and to seek healthcare advice for concerns about possible injuries or illnesses.

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