Another batch of hand sanitizers was recalled after it was discovered that they contained a poisonous substance that could cause blindness and seizures.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found undeclared methanol, a type of toxic alcohol that can kill if ingested, in Adam’s Polishes hand gels.
It comes after nearly two dozen brands of hand sanitizers were withdrawn or banned in the United States after they were found to contain benzene, a chemical that causes cancer.
Methanol is a type of alcohol that is used to make plastics, paints, automobile parts, and building materials.
People who accidentally drink Adam’s Polish hand sanitizers risk coma, seizures, permanent blindness, permanent central nervous system damage, and death, the FDA said.
So far, the company has not received any reports of illness, but the agency has previously noted blindness, hospitalizations, and deaths after ingesting methanol-contained products.
The Colorado-based company sold hand sanitizers online to U.S. customers between June 2020 and March of this year.
The recalled product is available in 4-ounce, 8-ounce, and 16-ounce spray bottles and one-gallon bottles.
Adam’s Polishes is voluntarily recalling lot 133475, plus 19 other lots, as a precaution.
Customers who own any of the recalled products should dispose of them immediately, the FDA said.
The CDC has stated that methanol can be absorbed into the body through inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or eye contact.
Symptoms may not show for one to 72 hours after ingesting the deadly alcohol, he warned. Ingestion of methanol can cause amnesia, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, abnormal liver function, and hallucinations.
Most methanol poisonings occur because people drink products contaminated with methanol.
People who have been in contact with the product should contact their doctor or healthcare provider if they have experienced symptoms, the FDA said.
In July 2020, the FDA said that methanol “is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects.
” It said It was aware of adults and children who ate contaminated products that led to blindness, hospitalization, and death.
Young children are the most at risk, as are adults who drink products containing methanol as a substitute for alcohol.
Meanwhile, thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer made in China, South Korea, and the United States have been taken off the shelves between April 2021 and September of this year.
Gels and sprays have been found to contain dangerous levels of benzene, a carcinogen that ranks high on the government’s list of the most dangerous solvents.
Hand sanitizers became a mainstay in homes, schools, and offices during the pandemic, with sales skyrocketing 600% in 2020 alone.
And more than a million bottles of dry shampoo were recalled last month over fears of benzene contamination.
Adam Polishes’ recalled batch numbers:
- 133470
- 133471
- 133472
- 133473
- 133474
- 133475
- 133476
- 133477
- 133478
- 133479
- 133480
- 133481
- 133482
- 133483
- 137731
- 137732
- 137733
- 137734
- 139322
- 143327