Melamine has surfaced in samples of chocolate bars that were sold with teddy bears at Walgreens drug stores nationwide.
The national pharmacy chain is now recalling 173 of those products — approximately 9-inch high Dressy Teddy Bears that come with 4-oz. chocolate bars--because of the contamination.
A Walgreen's spokesman told ConsumerAffairs.com today that he did not know the levels of melamine in the products, which the company has sold since September.
Spokesman Michael Polzin, however, said the products were recalled "because of the levels" of melamine. An analysis by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed the presence of melamine in samples of the chocolate sold with the teddy bears, the company said.
Melamine is a chemical is used to make plastic and fertilizer. It is not allowed in human or pet food.
Melamine contamination in the imported wheat gluten from China is blamed for the illnesses and deaths of thousands of dogs and cats in 2007. The tainted wheat gluten — used to make dog and cat food — triggered the largest pet food recall in U.S. history.
The chemical is also linked to the recent deaths of six infants in China--and the illnesses of nearly 300,000 other babies in that country — who drank melamine-tainted milk formula.
Polzin told us he did not know what company manufactured these teddy bears with tainted chocolate — of if they were made in the U.S. or China. He said Walgreens worked with a vendor called Dan Dee.
Walgreens, he added, has not received any reports of illnesses linked to these products.
When asked why the company is recalling less than 200 of the teddy bears with tainted chocolate, Polzin said, "We only sold 173 of them since late September."
The products involved in this recall have a UPC number of 047475864485 and their item number is 291332.
Customers who purchased these teddy bears with tainted chocolate can return them to Walgreens for a full refund, Polzin said.
Walgreens is working with the FDA on this action. Consumers who have questions or concerns can contact Walgreens on its Web site or call the company's Product Quality Department at 847-315-2755.
