FDA upgrades 6.8 million Target baby-wipes recall to highest risk over bacteria contamination

A recall involving Target's Up & Up baby wipes has been escalated following reports from buyers raising concerns about skin irritation, eye discomfort, and potential infection risks.

In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has moved its recall of nearly 6.8 million packages of Up & Up baby wipes into Class 1, the agency's highest risk level.

What happened?

According to The Healthy, the initial June 4 recall involved 6,845,936 packages of Up & Up Fragrance-Free and Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented baby wipes distributed nationwide.

However, as the outlet reported, in a follow-up alert from June 29, the FDA said the wipes "may be contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioli." 

The agency now lists the event as a Class 1 recall, which it defines as "a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."

The Healthy reported the recalled products cover multiple package sizes, from 20-count packs to 1,200-count boxes, with specific Universal Product Codes, manufacturing codes, and expiration dates listed in notices from both the FDA and Target.

Target said, as cited by The Healthy, that it and the wipes' manufacturer, Sapro Temizlik Urunleri, received consumer complaints regarding the wipes, including "a number of consumer complaints and adverse event reports alleging product discoloration and symptoms such as skin irritation, eye irritation, and infections potentially associated with the use of the product."  

Target noted in its statement that these reports are still under investigation. 

Why does it matter?

The FDA specifically identified infants and young children as more vulnerable.

For healthy people, the agency said that use on skin with minor lesions would be more likely to lead to local infections. However, "in immunocompromised individuals, newborns, infants, and young children, the infection is more likely to spread into the bloodstream, potentially leading to life-threatening sepsis or pneumonia."

Compared with food recalls, notices about cosmetics and personal care products appear less often, making them easier to miss. That matters when a product is used frequently on sensitive skin, especially around children, because even a small contamination risk can become a serious household concern.

Consumers are being told in Target's notice to "immediately stop using the recalled products and return them to any Target store for a full refund." If you still have the packaging, check the UPC, manufacturing date code, and expiration date against the recall details posted by Target and the FDA.

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