WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - UVT, Inc. recalled 38,830 liters of Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer following a warning by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the potential presence of undeclared Methanol, a toxic chemical.
The FDA last week urged consumers not to use any hand sanitizer products made by Mexico-based Eskbiochem SA de CV. The agency identified nine hand sanitizers, including Saniderm Advanced, containing methanol or wood alcohol, a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested.
Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects.
Methanol exposure could result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death.
The agency specially warned young children who accidentally ingest these products, and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol substitute.
However, UVT and FDA have not received any reports of adverse events related to the recalled products.
The products are packaged in 1-liter bottles, with lot number 0530, and expiration date of April 2022. The product was distributed across the United States.
FDA issued the warning following tests on samples of Lavar Gel and CleanCare No Germ. The agency on June 17 had contacted Eskbiochem to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market, but was yet to take any related action.
Apart from Saniderm Advanced, the FDA warning also targets All-Clean, Esk Biochem, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced, and Lavar 70 Gel hand sanitizers, among others.
Hand sanitizers are in huge demand amid the coronavirus pandemic as CDC recommends to use sanitizers that contain at least 60 percent ethanol as an effective way to fight against the virus.
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