Archived – Baby's Bliss Gripe Water

Starting date:

January 2, 2008

Posting date:

January 2, 2008

Type of communication:

Foreign Product Alert (FPA)

Subcategory:

Natural health products

Source of recall:

Health Canada

Issue:

Product Safety, Microbial Hazard

Audience:

General Public

Identification number:

RA-12000368

These products are not authorized for sale in Canada and have not been found in the Canadian marketplace, but it is possible they may have been brought into the country by travellers or purchased over the Internet.

Source of alert

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Product name

Baby's Bliss Gripe Water 

Manufacturer / Place of origin

Distributed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., California, U.S.

Product description

Baby's Bliss Gripe Water  (apple flavour, code 26952V, expiration date: October 2008) is a natural health product given to infants to ease the stomach discomfort and gas often associated with colic, hiccups and teething. This product comes in a four-ounce plastic bottle inside a cardboard carton. The label reads: Baby's Bliss Pediatrician Recommended Gripe Water Apple Flavor.

Reason for warning

The US-FDA warned consumers not to purchase or consume Baby's Bliss Gripe Water (apple flavour), code 26952V because it was found to contain the parasite cryptosporidium.

Cryptosporidium is a parasite that infects the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals and can cause serious illnesses, especially in certain populations.

Possible side effects

Infections due to cryptosporidium may cause watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and in some cases, death. Infants are at an increased risk due to their immature immune system.

What you should do

Canadians who have this product are advised not to use it, and should consult with a health care professional if they have concerns about their health related to the use of this product.

Health Canada advises Canadians to contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 if they find the product listed above in the Canadian marketplace.

Background

Drugs and natural health products that are authorized for sale in Canada will have either an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM) on the label. These numbers indicate that the products have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality.

As of the date of this posting, no adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of this product have been reported in Canada.

Report a health or safety concern

• Call toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.
• Visit Health Canada's Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax.

Media enquiries

Health Canada

613-957-2983

Public enquiries

613-957-2991

1-866-225-0709