Expandable Lunch Boxes Recalled by California Innovations Due to Freezer Gel Pack Ingestion Hazard

Expandable Lunch Boxes Recalled by California Innovations Due to Freezer Gel Pack Ingestion Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Expandable Insulated Lunch Box with Freezer Gel Pack

Units: About 248,000

Importer: California Innovations Inc., of Toronto, Canada

Hazard: Gel that contains diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol can leak out of damaged freezer gel packs, posing a poisoning hazard if ingested by children or adults.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received two separate reports of a dog chewing and ingesting gel from the gel pack. One dog reportedly died from ingestion of the gel. The other was reported to have received treatment and has recovered.

Description: The recalled product is a Ci Sport three-piece, expandable, insulated lunch box set, which includes the lunch box, aluminum bottle and the freezer gel pack. The lunch box of the recalled set has the code “1-61731-99-57” printed on one of the two white labels that are sewn under the white fastener inside the main compartment. The lunch box is 8 inches wide, 5 inches deep and 10.25 inches high. It is made of vinyl, polyester nylon and crushed nylon and has a logo with the words “Ci Sport” attached to the upper left corner. The lunch box has a carrying handle on the top and a mesh carrying pouch for the aluminum bottle on the side. The aluminum bottle measures 2.75 inches in diameter and 7.5 inches tall. The gel pack is a 6-inch by 4-inch transparent plastic pouch filled with blue liquid gel. The words “Cryofreeze” and “Ice Pack/Hot Pack” are printed in white letters on the front of the pouch. The lunch box was available in four colors: navy blue, red, black and denim blue.

Sold at: Costco Wholesale Clubs, Leon Korol and Cost U Less stores between May 2007 and September 2008 for about $10.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the gel packs and dispose of them according to federal, state and/or local regulations. It is recommended that consumers contact their local waste disposal authority for instructions. Consumers may return the lunch box set to Costco for a full refund or may receive a $5 cash refund for the gel pack only by contacting California Innovations.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call California Innovations at (800) 722-2545 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, e-mail ci-recall@ca-innovations.com or visit the firm’s website at www.californiainnovations.com

Ci Sport Expandable, Insulated Lunch Box Set