About 4.9M cleaning products recalled over bacteria contamination risk

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• About 4.9 million units of certain multipurpose cleaning products were recalled on Wednesday.
• The company explained that the products had inadequate levels of preservatives, which could lead to a risk of Pseudomonas bacteria growth.
• This type of bacteria is highly resistant to many antibiotics.

The Colgate-Palmolive Company recalled certain Fabuloso cleaning products on Wednesday over a risk of bacteria contamination, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced.

The recall affected around 4.9 million units in the U.S. and around 56,000 units in Canada.

Fabuloso’s official statement said that the voluntary recall was issued “because a preservative was not added at the intended levels during manufacturing.”

They explained, “With inadequate preservative, there is a risk of bacteria growth in the recalled products. The recalled products can contain Pseudomonas species bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens, which are environmental organisms found widely in soil and water.”

They said that this manufacturing issue has been corrected.

The recalled products were produced from Dec. 14, 2022 through Jan. 23, 2023 and sold at nationwide retailers and online retailers from December 2022 through January 2023.

Some affected products include Fabuloso’s Lavender Scent cleaners, Ocean Scent cleaners, Passion of Fruits Scent cleaners, Refreshing Lemon Scent cleaners, and Spring Fresh Scent cleaners.

You can visit the website www.fabulosorecall.com to see the full list of products affected by the recall.

Fabuloso clarified that the recall does not include their antibacterial multipurpose cleaning products and “select other variants of Fabuloso multi-purpose cleaning products” not listed in Wednesday’s announcement.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a type of bacteria highly resistant to many antibiotics. Exposure to such can lead to infections in the lungs, blood, or other body parts.

The CPSC’s recall announcement on Wednesday noted, “People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria.” However, individuals with respiratory conditions, external medical devices, or weakened immune systems “face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment” when exposed to the bacteria.

The agency stated that no illnesses or injuries have been reported at the time of the recall.

Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled products and avoid emptying the products before disposing of them. For a full refund or free replacement, consumers can contact the Colgate-Palmolive Company.

Source: ABC News