Toxic substances found in Mickey Mouse, ‘Star Wars’ hand sanitizers: Recall alert

Some Disney-themed hand sanitizer products have been voluntarily recalled after toxic substances were discovered through FDA testing.

The affected products include “The Mandalorian” Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 68%, available in green and blue formulations; and Mickey Mouse Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 68% blue formulation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports.

The agency’s testing found the presence of the human carcinogen benzene in “The Mandalorian” Hand Sanitizer product. Substantial exposure to benzene can lead to cancer. This sanitizer features Baby Yoda on its packaging, a character from the Disney+ original series set in the “Star Wars” universe.

Testing also found methanol in the Mickey Mouse Hand Sanitizer product, which can be poisonous if accidentally ingested. Substantial exposure to methanol can cause nausea, vomiting, coma, seizures, permanent damage to the central nervous system and other hazards, the FDA said. The packaging has an image of Mickey Mouse on the front.

The sanitizers, imported by Best Brands Consumer Products, Inc., were sold nationwide in three different retail stores but removed from shelves in April 2021 “for unrelated commercial reasons,” the FDA said.

Best Brands has not received any reports of adverse events related to these voluntarily recalled lots, or for any other finished product lots of its Ethyl Alcohol 68% Hand Sanitizer products, according to the FDA on April 1, 2022.

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.