FDA Issues Class II Recall on Hand Soap Sold Across 15 States Over Serious Bacterial Contamination Risk

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has formally classified an ongoing hand soap recall as a Class II action, confirming that six products distributed by Intercon Chemical Co. of St. Louis across 15 states may be contaminated with bacteria capable of causing serious infections, including pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bloodstream infections.

The FDA issued its enforcement report on September 11, assigning Class II status to a voluntary recall that Intercon Chemical Co. had first initiated on June 29. A Class II classification indicates that use of or exposure to the affected product could cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, while the probability of more serious adverse health consequences is considered remote, though not eliminated, particularly for vulnerable individuals.

According to the FDA, two of the six recalled soap products tested positive for potential contamination with multiple strains of Pseudomonas and Serratia bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens. Both species are recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as common environmental bacteria typically found in soil and water, but both are also capable of causing significant infections in humans, particularly when they enter the bloodstream or come into contact with compromised tissue. According to the CDC, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the species most likely among the two to cause bloodstream infections, pneumonia or urinary tract infections, while Serratia marcescens has been linked to a broader range of infections, including those affecting the eyes, stomach, brain, bones and heart, in addition to blood and respiratory infections. Both bacterial species can also exhibit resistance to common antibiotics, complicating treatment in cases where an infection does occur.

The recalled hand soap was distributed to 19 wholesale companies and one retail company spanning California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. While much of the recalled product was distributed for commercial or institutional use in businesses and public facilities, one of the six affected products, sold under the Laura Lynn brand, was shipped directly to retail stores where individual consumers could purchase it.

The six recalled products span five separate brand names. Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap With Aloe, sold in 28.7-fluid-ounce containers under UPC 789745002981, was recalled across three lot codes, AF97312, 26-01001 and 26-01803, with 693 cases affected and potential contamination spanning five separate bacterial strains: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas monteilii, Serratia marcescens and Serratia nematodiphila. A related product, Clearly Better by Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap With Aloe, sold in sizes ranging from 1,000 milliliters to 34 fluid ounces under UPC 789745002615, was recalled across lot codes 26-01001 and 26-01803, affecting 143 cases, with the same five bacterial strains identified as potential contaminants.

Summit 150 Foaming Hand Soap, sold in 28.7-fluid-ounce containers under UPC 810080570030, was recalled across three lot codes, BF97303, BF97304 and BF97305, affecting 1,040 cases, the largest volume among the six recalled products, with the FDA listing potential bacterial contamination generally rather than specifying particular strains for this product. Vestis Foaming Hand Soap in Fresh Pear Scent, sold in 33.8-fluid-ounce containers under UPC 810080570405 and lot code 26-03091, affected 225 cases. Two Laura Lynn-branded products rounded out the recall: Laura Lynn Honey Apple Crisp Liquid Hand Soap, sold in 8-fluid-ounce containers under UPC 086854074305 across lot codes C3576 and 26-01804, affecting 301 cases, and Laura Lynn Foaming Pear Scent Hand Soap with Moisturizers, sold in 7.5-fluid-ounce containers under UPC 08685407408 and lot code 26-01001, affecting 294 cases.

Consumers and businesses in possession of any of the affected products are advised to check the specific UPC codes and lot numbers against the FDA's published list and to stop using any matching product immediately. Anyone who develops symptoms of infection after using one of the recalled soaps, including fever, unusual redness or swelling, respiratory symptoms, or urinary discomfort, is advised to contact a health care provider promptly, particularly given the elevated risk the bacteria pose to people with weakened immune systems.

The FDA has identified certain populations as facing heightened risk from exposure to either bacterial species. Individuals with compromised immune systems, underlying chronic conditions such as cancer or diabetes, or those who have been on extended courses of antibiotics face a greater likelihood of developing a serious infection if exposed to contaminated product, according to the agency's guidance accompanying the recall.

The Intercon Chemical Co. recall adds to a broader pattern of FDA enforcement actions targeting consumer and commercial hygiene products in recent months, part of the agency's ongoing effort to identify and remove potentially contaminated goods from the marketplace before they cause widespread illness. Because several of the recalled products were distributed primarily to commercial and institutional customers rather than directly to consumers, public awareness of the recall may lag behind that of more consumer-facing recalls, increasing the importance of businesses in the affected distribution states checking their own inventory against the FDA's published product list.

As of the most recent update, the FDA had not reported any confirmed illnesses directly linked to the recalled hand soap products, though the agency's classification of the recall as Class II reflects its assessment that the contamination poses a genuine, if not severe, health risk to those exposed. Consumers with questions about whether a specific product they possess falls under the recall are advised to consult the FDA's official enforcement report directly for the complete list of affected UPC codes, lot numbers and best-by dates.