FDA Expands Hand Sanitizer Recall, All Are Made in Mexico

A person uses hand sanitizer in a file photo. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the list of hand sanitizers containing toxic levels of methanol to 86. All are made in Mexico.

Methanol, or wood alcohol, is typically used to create fuel and antifreeze and can be toxic when absorbed through the skin, according to the agency.

A growing number of hand sanitizers are labeled to contain ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, but test positive for methanol.

“State officials have also reported recent adverse events from adults and children ingesting hand sanitizer products contaminated with methanol, including blindness, hospitalizations, and death,” the FDA warned on July 2.

Two types of Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer, made by Mexico-based Liqese Exportacion, were added to the list this week. After the FDA recommended the company recall the products, it did so on July 20.

While several other companies have issued voluntary recalls, others have not, prompting the FDA to stop the products from entering the United States through import alerts.

The products were sold by a range of retailers, including Walmart and Costco.

BJ’s Wholesale Club said earlier this month it was stopping the use of one of the products immediately after the FDA detected methanol. Walmart and Costco issued similar notices.

The products may still be circulating in the country or be in people’s homes.

The following products have toxic levels of methanol:

Liqese Exportacion —Optimus Lubricants Instant Hand Sanitizer —Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer

MXL Commercial —Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol (labeled with Resource Recovery & Trading LLC) —Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol Rinse Free Hand Rub (labeled with Resource Recovery & Trading LLC)

Real Clean —Born Basic. Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer —Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer —Scent Theory – Keep It Clean – Pure Clean Anti-bacterial Hand Sanitizer —Cavalry —ENLIVEN Hand Sanitizing Gel —Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gel —Keep It Clean —Hand Sanitizer

Maquiladora Miniara —Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer —Selecto Hand Sanitizer

4E Global —Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol —Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear Ethyl Alcohol 70% —BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe —BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear —KLAR AND DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer (labeled with Greenbrier International Inc.) —MODESA Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E —BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer —BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender —BLUMEN Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer —BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer —BLUMEN Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer —BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender —BLUMEN Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol —Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavender, with 70% alcohol —BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe —The Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer —BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer —Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer —Blumen Hand Sanitizer Fresh Citrus —KLAR and DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer —Hello Kitty by Sanrio Hand Sanitizer by 4E Brands North America, LLC —Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E and Aloe) —Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe and Moisturizers) —Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Vitamin E and Aloe —Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe and Moisturizers —BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free —BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera —Assured Aloe

DDI Multinacional —Earths Amenities Instant Unscented Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced —Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare —Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare

Limpo Quimicos —Andy’s —Andy’s Best —Gelclor —NeoNatural —Plus Advanced

Soluciones Cosmeticas —Hand sanitizer (labeled with Wet Look Janitorial and Gardening Corp) —Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free —Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer

AAA Cosmetica —bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer —LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer —QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer

Eskbiochem —All-Clean Hand Sanitizer —Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer —CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer —The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer —Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer —Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer

Others —Yara Elena De La Garza Perez Nieto’s DAESI hand sanitizer —Grupo Insoma’s Hand sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol —Mystic International’s Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer —Tropicosmeticos’ Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%

The motivation to add methanol to products is financial, officials said.

“Unfortunately, there are some companies taking advantage of the increased usage of hand sanitizer during the coronavirus pandemic and putting lives at risk by selling products with dangerous and unacceptable ingredients,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Han said in a statement.