Almost 5 million bottles of Fabuloso cleaner recalled over bacteria risk
The affected products may contain bacteria that can put people with weakened immune systems and other health conditions at risk of infection
Colgate-Palmolive is recalling 4.9 million bottles of Fabuloso multipurpose cleaners over possible bacteria contamination.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which announced the recall Wednesday, said the cleaners may contain Pseudomonas, which is commonly found in soil and water. The bacteria can put people with compromised immune systems and other health conditions at risk of serious infection. People with healthy immune systems are generally not affected, according to the CPSC.
In a statement, Colgate-Palmolive said a preservative was not added at sufficient levels during manufacturing, which might have allowed the bacteria to grow.
Fabuloso debuted in Venezuela in 1980, according to the company’s website, before making its way to Mexico and later the United States. It is a staple in many Latino households. It is sold through Amazon, Dollar General, Family Dollar, the Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Walmart and other major retailers. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)
The Fabuloso recall involves nine types of cleaner, including lavender, lemon, fresh spring and other scents, produced from Dec. 14 to Jan. 23 — though 80 percent of that was never released for sale. The affected units have eight-digit lot codes starting with 2348US78 through 2365US78, as well as 3001US78 through 3023US78. It does not include any of the company’s anti-bacterial cleaners.
The CPSC advised customers to take a picture of the product code, throw away the affected units, and seek a refund or replacement from the manufacturer. More information, including a list of the specific cleaners involved, can be found here and here.
Colgate-Palmolive’s announcement mentions two species of Pseudomonas, a bacteria commonly found in soil or water. One of them, aeruginosa, is among the Pseudomonas species most likely to cause infection and can affect the lungs, blood or other parts of the body, particularly following surgery, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet.
The CDC logged about 28,800 cases and 2,500 deaths from multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 2020, the most recent year for which data are available. It labeled the bacteria “stable” and declining in 2020, although it did record an increase in hospital-onset infections.
Pseudomonas bacteria have played into some product recalls recently, including Clorox pulling back 37 million units of Pine-Sol last October; the Laundress recalling products in December; and a recall of 14,500 units of Art of Green laundry detergent, also in December.