Check your bathroom! Jergens lotion recalled over harmful bacteria
During winter, especially when using a lot of hand sanitizer, it is essential to keep your hands moisturized. Your skin can dry out and form tiny cracks if you don’t. The alcohol content of hand sanitizer can also cause uncomfortable dryness.
But while it is a good idea to keep a small bottle of nourishing lotion in your bag, you must stop using this particular product.
Read on to find out why this popular moisturizer is disappearing from store shelves and what you need to do if you have some at home.
Here’s the backstory
Lotions to keep your hands smooth and healthy are available in nearly every shop, and there are plenty of brands to choose from. But if you recently picked up a Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer bottle, you’ll want to stop using it immediately.
Manufacturer Kao is pulling the 3-ounce and 10-ounce products from store shelves in a voluntary recall as they can contain the Pluralibacter gergoviae bacteria. In the recall notice, the FDA states that the bacteria “poses little medical risk to healthy people” but can adversely affect those with weakened immune systems.
Pluralibacter gergoviae is a naturally-occurring bacterium found in plants and water to dairy products and insects. It can enter the body through open wounds, and while severe infections are rare, it includes high fever, nausea, and vomiting.
The extent of the bacteria contamination is still subject to an investigation, but Kao is removing the products from its warehouses and contacting retailers and online stores.
Recalled Jergens lotion
The first step to staying safe from bacteria is to check if your product is part of the voluntary recall. If it is, stop using it immediately.
Here’s what to look for: Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer, available in 3 and 10-ounce containers manufactured between Oct. 1, 2021, and Oct. 18, 2021, could be impacted.
The affected lot codes for the 3-ounce size (UPC 019100109971 for single bottles and 019100267114 for a pack of 3) can be found on the back of the bottle printed in black ink and begin with the prefix ZU.
The lot codes for the 3-ounce bottle are:
- ZU712851
- ZU712861
- ZU712871
- ZU712881
- ZU712911
- ZU722851
- ZU722881
The affected lot codes for the 10-ounce size (UPC 019100109988) can be found on the bottom of the bottle printed in black ink and begin with the prefix ZU.
- ZU722741
- ZU722771
- ZU722781
- ZU732781
- ZU732791
- ZU732801
- ZU732811
- ZU732821
You can call the Kao USA Inc. Consumer Care Center for a free product coupon at 1.800.742.8798 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. If you prefer to email, you can send a message to consumer@kao.com.
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Tags: bacteria, hand sanitizer, recall, winter
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