Recalls in May 2008

May 29, 2008    
Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores is recalling about 4,500 Best Value park benches. The benches can become unstable and break, posing a fall hazard to consumers.

This recall involves Best Value park benches with a green metal frame and wooden slats. The benches measure 50-inches long by 22-inches wide by 30-inches high.

The benches, made in China, were sold at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft stores nationwide from January 2008 through March 2008 for about $30.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled park benches and return the product to the nearest Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft store for a full refund.

For more information, contact Jo-Ann Stores toll-free at (888) 739-4120 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or email the firm at guest.services@jo-ann.com.Consumers can also visit the firm's Web site at www.joann.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

May 28, 2008
Adio Footwear is recalling about 300 'Champ Custom' hooded fleece sweatshirts. The garments have a drawstring through the hood, which can pose a strangulation hazard to children.

The boy's 'Champ Custom' hooded zip fleece sweatshirt (style # 40305.HZB) is white with blue pin-stripes on the front and red panels on the sides. ADIO is spelled out across the front. The sweatshirt was sold in boys' sizes: small, medium, large and x-large.

The shirts were sold at Tilly's and Bob's stores nationwide from October 2007 through December 2007 for about $40. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately remove the drawstrings from the sweatshirts to eliminate the hazard, and return the item to the place of purchase or to Adio Footwear for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Adio Footwear at (800) 995-6069 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.adiofootwear.com

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

May 22, 2008
The Disney Store is recalling about 8,000 Tinker Bell Wands. The paint on the pearl beads in the flowers of the wands contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

The recalled Tinker Bell wands are green and light up and sound when a button in the handle is pressed. The top of the wand has white plastic flowers, a green bow, and a pin with Tinker Bell's face on it.

They were sold at Disney stores nationwide from April 2007 through October 2007 for about $13. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy away from children and return it to a Disney Store for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Disney Store toll-free at (866) 902-2798 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.Disneystore.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The Pasadena, Texas, food processing company, under a different name, had manufactured dried smoked catfish steaks and other smoked seafood products and was subject to a consent decree of permanent injunction requiring it to develop and implement an adequate Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan for its fish and fishery products. Hope Food had not developed this plan, the FDA said.

"We simply will not allow a company to put the public's health at risk by not implementing adequate procedures and plans to produce safe food," said Margaret Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs.

The FDA's HACCP regulations require that all seafood processors develop and implement adequate plans that identify all food safety hazards that are likely to occur for each kind of seafood product that they process, and set forth preventative measures to control those hazards.

The HACCP violations documented by the FDA pose a public health hazard because, without adequate controls, Hope Food's seafood products could harbor pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Food products with these kinds of pathogens can cause serious illnesses in people who eat them.

The company's products have been distributed nationwide. The FDA is advising consumers who bought smoked seafood products to check with the place of purchase to determine if the products came from Hope Foods. If so, consumers should throw the products out.

Consumers who have been eating Hope Seafood Supply's dried smoked catfish or other smoked seafood products and have experienced adverse reactions should consult their health care professional.

Consumers and health care professionals can also report adverse events to the FDA consumer complaint coordinator in their geographic area. Contact numbers may be found online.

For more information, consumers can call the FDA's toll-free Food Safety Hotline at 1-888-SAFEFOOD.

May 15, 2008
Maple Chase Co. is recalling about 280,000 carbon monoxide and smoke alarms because they can malfunction.

The recall affects FireX-branded 10000 Series Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms and 12000 Series CO/Smoke Combo Alarms

The recalled alarms can sound a double chirp fault alarm in the presence of CO, prior to going into full alarm. Upon hearing a double chirp, the Owners Manual instructions recommend a consumer to take the alarm out of service, which could expose consumers to hazardous levels of CO, causing injury or death.

The recall includes FireX branded 10000 and 12000 series alarms with item numbers: 10000, 12000, 12000C, 12000-6, 12200, 12220, 12400, 12400C manufactured between June 1, 2007 and February 1, 2008. The date code appears on the back of the unit with a four digit year, three digit month followed by the day (ex: 2007JUN1 for June 1, 2007). Units with a manufacture date code prior to June 1, 2007 are not included in this recall.

The units, made in Mexico, were sold at commercial electrical distributors and electrical contractors and builders for installation into new home construction. A limited number of units were sold at Menards nationwide from June 2007 through February 2008 for about $20 (10000 series) and $30 (12000 series).

Consumers should contact Maple Chase immediately to receive a free comparable replacement alarm and make arrangements to return their recalled alarms. Consumers should not take the alarms out of service until they receive the replacement alarm.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Maple Chase toll-free at (888) 879-3906 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or go to the firms Web site at www.firexsafety.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Gourmet Boutique, of Jamaica, Queens, bills itself as Americas leading manufacturer of high-quality, ready-to-eat prepared foods.

The nationwide recall includes a variety of sizes, from nine-ounce packages of Gourmet Boutique Wrapanini Meatball Parmigiana to seven-pound containers of Gourmet Boutique Fruit and Nut Honey Chicken Salad Kit, USDA said. The meats being recalled are chicken, turkey, beef and pork.

The meals may be contaminated with bacteria that may cause listeriosis, a potentially fatal illness whose symptoms may include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea.

The fresh meat and poultry salad products were produced from April 19 to 24, while the frozen foodstuffs were produced from October 2007 to April 23, the agency said.

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a Class I recall, which affects products sent to supermarkets and food stores nationwide. A Class I alert, which carries the highest priority, is issued when there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death, the USDA's statement said.

No illnesses had been reported.

Listeria can cause listeriosis, a rare disease that can lead to serious and sometimes fatal infections in infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. The disease can also cause miscarriages.

In March, the company recalled nearly 7,000 pounds of products sent to stores in 10 states because of possible listeria contamination.

Two consumers have told NHTSA that the electric seat warmer burned through the fabric of the of the seat cover and produced a burn hole of approximately 2 to 3 inches in diameter along the outside of the driver's seat.

The incidents resulting in a smoldering of the seat pad and upholstery, according to the reports.

On consumer reported a minor burn as a result of the hot seat warmer.

The Office of Defects Investigation at NHTSA has opened a preliminary investigation of seat warmers in the ML350. It could eventually lead to a recall.