Target is voluntarily recalling some Up & Up baby wipes after complaints that the products were discolored and FDA testing found bacteria in some samples. The recall, announced Friday, covers several sizes of Up & Up Fragrance Free Baby Wipes and Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes sold in Target stores nationwide and on the company’s website.
The recalled Fragrance Free wipes include 20-count, 72-count, 216-count, 800-count and 1200-count packages. The Fresh Cucumber Scented wipes are included in 72-count, 216-count and 800-count packages. A full list of item numbers, UPC numbers, manufacturing codes and expiration dates is available in the FDA announcement.
Testing found Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli in some product samples, bacteria that can pose a greater risk to newborns, infants, young children and people with weakened immune systems. Target said healthy people who use the wipes on skin with minor lesions are more likely to develop local infections, while immunocompromised users and young children face a higher risk of the infection spreading into the bloodstream, where it could lead to sepsis or pneumonia.
Target and the wipes manufacturer, Sapro Temizlik Urunleri, also received consumer complaints and adverse event reports alleging discoloration, skin irritation, eye irritation and infections potentially linked to the product. The company said the recall is being done out of caution, but the reports and the FDA findings give the action more weight than a routine quality fix.
Customers who have the recalled wipes should stop using them immediately and return them to any Target store for a full refund. Those with questions can contact Target Guest Relations at 1-800-440-0680 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT daily. The key unresolved question is how many complaints and adverse event reports Target received, and whether any confirmed illnesses have been tied to the wipes.
