Health Alerts - November 2004

Regal Lager Inc., of Kennesaw, Ga., is recalling 49,000 Baby Björn infant carriers because the back support buckle can detach from the shoulder straps, posing a fall hazard to the baby.

The company has received 93 reports of the back support buckle detaching from the shoulder straps on the infant carrier. No injuries have been reported.

The carriers were sold under brand name “Baby Björn,”which is printed on the front of the carriers and on the black molded plastic back support buckle. They were sold in black with red piping and blue with white piping. Model number 1-260 is printed on the care label on the carrier strap. “Baby Carrier Active” is written on the packaging and above the warning label on the carrier.

Specialty retail stores, catalogs and Internet sites sold the carriers from September 2003 through Aug. 15, 2004, for about $120.

Consumers should stop using the carriers immediately and contact the company for instructions on returning the carriers for repair. Contact Regal Lager Inc. at (877) 962-8400 or visit regallager.com.

NCR Corp., of Dayton, Ohio, is recalling 78,000 NCR Universal Inkjet Refill Kits because the product doesn't have required childresistant packaging or required warning labels. The product contains the chemical ethylene glycol,which could be harmful to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

The kits were sold in a clear plastic package with color or black ink. The black ink kits have model numbers 943264 and 999292 and the color ink kits have model number 999289 printed on the side panel above the UPC code.

Big Lots and Walgreens stores nationwide sold the kits from April through June 2004 for about $12.

Consumers should immediately remove the kits from the reach of young children and return to the store where purchased for a refund or free replacement kit. Call NCR Corp. at (800) 279-0203, e-mail the firm at [email protected]or visit www.ncr.com.

Reebok International Ltd., of Canton, Mass., is recalling 140,000 pairs of Reebok “Iverson/Answer” toddler shoes because the logo-tag on the tongue of the shoe can be peeled off, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Reebok received one report of an 8-month-old child mouthing the logo-tag. The tag was removed without injury.

The mid- and low-style athletic shoes were sold in toddler sizes 2 through 10. The tag on the tongue of the shoe reads “I3/Answer,” and an“I3” appears on the rear and center of the heel. The names“Iverson” and “The Realist” are carved onto the sole.

Reebok, independent retailers, children's apparel stores and athletic shoe stores nationwide sold the shoes from March through August 2004 for about$35.

Stop using the shoes and contact Reebok to receive a refund. Call the company at (800) 843-4444 or visit www.reebok.com.

Target Corp., of Minneapolis, is recalling 74,811 Leoch Electric Scooters because improper wiring can cause a short circuit, posing a fire hazard in the scooter. Also, inadequate insulation may expose electrical wiring, which poses a shock hazard.

Target has received two reports of the scooters catching fire. There have been 13 reports of scooters starting and/or moving on their own, with one person reporting receiving scratches as a result. There also have been five reports of property damage, including two reports of the scooters causing house fires.

The scooters were sold under the names “E-Scooter” and“Red Dragon.” The scooters have a seat, two wheels and footrests on each side. A sticker on the left footrest reads, “E-Scooter”and a sticker on the right footrest displays a horse-head image.

Target stores nationwide sold the scooters from February 2003 through June 2004 for about $200.

Consumers should stop using the scooters immediately and return them to any Target store for a refund. Call Target at (800) 440-0680 or visit www.target.com.

Nabisco Foods, a Kraft Company of East Hanover, N.J., is recalling the“Carry Me Pack” that contains 1.5 ounce boxes of Mini Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with the two “Best When Purchased”dates of 20JANBK and 21JANBK because the bags inside the Oreo boxes may contain Ritz Bits Cheese Sandwiches.

Ritz Bits Cheese Sandwiches contain milk ingredients. (Mini Oreo Cookies do not contain milk ingredients.) Consumers who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk ingredients run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume Ritz Bits Cheese Sandwiches.

No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported. There is no health risk for consumers who are not allergic to milk, and no other Mini Oreo or Ritz Bits products are part of the recall.

Nabisco estimates that about 195,000 boxes of the recalled product were produced and fewer than 2,000 “Carry Me Packs” may have the wrong product in the individual Oreo box.

The products were sold to BJ's Wholesale Club stores in the eastern United States in a 12-box club store tray containing four boxes each of the“Carry Me Packs” of Mini Oreo Cookies, Ritz Bits Cheese Sandwiches and Teddy Grahams Graham Snacks. In addition to consumer purchases, other small businesses also may have bought the trays from BJ's Wholesale Club stores for resale of individual boxes. So far, the recalled mislabeled product has only been found in retail stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Consumers and small businesses that purchased the 20JANBK and 21JANBK code dates of Mini Oreo Cookies or the 12-count variety pack tray containing 1.5 ounce individual boxes of Mini Oreos can return the product to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, call (800) 323-4243.

Delta Enterprise Corp., of New York, is recalling 81,000 director's chairs for children because the chair can inadvertently be misassembled so that the fabric seat can come off the chair's frame and expose metal support rods,putting children at risk of being cut or of falling.

Delta Enterprise Corp. has received six reports of the fabric seat coming off. In two of the reports, children received cuts from the exposed metal seat support rod, with one child requiring stitches. There were two additional reports of minor injuries.

The director-style chair is constructed of tubular metal with a canvas seat and back. The chairs feature popular characters such as The Wiggles, Dora the Explorer, Spongebob Squarepants and Disney princesses.

Discount department stores and toy stores nationwide sold the product from April through July 2004 for about $10.

Consumers should stop using the chair immediately and contact Delta Enterprise Corp. to receive a free repair kit to prevent the fabric seat from coming off. Call the company at (877) 660-3777 or visit www.deltaenterprise.com/recall.html.

Natura Products Downey Inc., of City of Commerce, Calif., is recalling 9,400 Jaloma pacifiers because they failed federal safety tests, come apart and can pose a choking hazard to infants and small children.

There has been one report of a pacifier nipple that detached from the pacifier while in the mouth of a 7-month-old. The child was not injured.

The pacifiers are pink, blue, green or white plastic with a yellow nipple. They have a circular handle and the shield is labeled“Jaloma.”

Various small Mexican supermarkets and commercial retailers nationwide sold the pacifiers from March through August 2004 for between 35 cents and $1.

Consumers should immediately take the pacifiers away from young children and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. Call Natura Products Downey at (323) 726-9098.

Frito-Lay, of Plano, Texas, is recalling Tostitos Monterey Jack Queso Dip because the product could be contaminated.

No illnesses have been reported, and no other Tostitos products are affected.

The recall extends only to Tostitos Monterey Jack Queso Dip, a white cheese dip in a 15¼-ounce glass jar with a blue label. A freshness date of April 8, 2005, through June 16, 2005, is printed on the side of the jar below the lid.

Consumers should not eat the product, even if it does not smell or look spoiled. Return it for a refund to the retail outlet where purchased. Contact Frito-Lay Consumer Affairs at (800) 352-4477 for more information.

Sauder Woodworking Co., of Archbold, Ohio, is recalling 300,000 television/VCR carts because the carts can tip over and the television can fall off, posing a risk of serious injury or death if the television and cart fall on a child.

The company has received one report of a cart tipping over, but no injuries have been reported.

The carts are white, light brown and light reddish brown; have decorative hardware and trim; and are about 29 inches wide, 17 inches deep and 25 inches high. They are equipped with a top shelf for a television 20 inches or smaller, a middle shelf for a VCR and a lower storage area. The recalled carts include model numbers 3355, 6355, 7755, 9855 and 9755, printed on the instruction book that came with the cart.

Department, discount and home electronic stores nationwide sold the 3355,6355 and 7755 models from October 1991 through May 1999 for between $80 and$100. The 9855 and 9755 models were sold exclusively at Target stores.

Consumers should stop using the carts and immediately remove the television and all contents; turn the cart over and remove the four casters from the bottom of the cart; and contact the company to receive a free retrofit kit and safe use information. Contact Sauder Woodworking Co. at (888) 800-6315 or visit www.sauder.com.

PlayKids USA Inc., of Brooklyn, N.Y., is recalling 1,600 PlayKids USA baby walkers because the walkers will fit through a standard doorway and are not designed to stop at the edge of a step. Babies using these walkers can be seriously injured or killed if they fall down stairs.

No injuries have been reported.

The plastic walkers have eight snap-in wheels, an activity tray with toy wheels, knobs and lights, and a padded fabric seat. They come in a variety of colors and seat fabrics. The sewn-in seat label reads “PLAYKIDS U.S.A. BROOKLYN, NY 11229 MADE IN TAIWAN.”

Small independent specialty juvenile retailers nationwide sold the baby walker from February 2003 through April 2004 for $29 to $39.

Stop using the recalled walkers immediately and contact PlayKids USA Inc. at (718) 332-3450 to receive a refund.

Specialized Bicycle Components Inc., of Morgan Hill, Calif., is recalling 1,500 Allez Sport, Allez Elite, Roubaix and Sequoia Bicycles because the handlebars may loosen and turn unexpectedly, which can cause the rider to lose control and fall.

The company has received two reports of the handlebars loosening, but no injuries have been reported.

The handlebars were sold on the 2005 Allez Sport, 2005 Allez Elite, 2005 Roubiax (base model) and 2005 Sequoia (base model) bicycles. The model names are on the frame of the handlebar.

Specialized retailers sold the bikes from July through August 2004 for $900 to $1,600.

Stop using the bicycles and return the recalled handlebars to the place of purchase for replacement. Contact the company at (800) 432-4144.

Full Speed Ahead Inc., of Woodinville, Wash., is recalling 1,375 sets of Scatto bicycle quick releases because an internal part in the lever mechanism can break, reducing clamping effectiveness and rendering the unit inoperable,potentially causing a bicyclist to fall.

There have been 12 reports of the quick release mechanism failing, but no injuries have been reported.

The Full Speed Ahead Scatto quick release was sold as standard equipment for RD-400 and XC-300 bicycle wheelsets and also was sold separately. The levers are laser etched “FSA” and the end pieces have a distinctive round shape.

Bike shops, catalogs and Web sites sold the recalled product nationwide from October 2003 through September 2004 for $49.95 per set.

Discontinue use of the quick releases and call Full Speed Ahead at (877)743-3372 or write to Full Speed Ahead Inc., 12810 NE 178th St #102,Woodinville, WA 98072.