The Salt Spring Herbals Sleep Well Dietary Supplement contains the undeclared drug estazolam, a sedative that can be habit-forming, Health Canada is advising consumers.

Harmful chemicals have been found in Overwaitea Cheese Cake and Black Forest Cake products, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency advised in a health hazard alert.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of the Jet Streamers Water Blasters Pool Toys manufactured by Wild Planet Toys Inc. The toy, when filled with water, stands upright on the pool floor, posing a risk of impalement. The company has received one report of injury. Customers are advised to stop using the Jet Streamers immediately and contact the company for a replacement.

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Certain imported food products have failed to declare milk protein on their labels, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has advised. The tea, coffee, almond powder and cereal products are being voluntarily recalled. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

Advisory notice

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of "Garden Treasures" Steel Dome Fireplaces because paint on the exterior can pose a fire hazard. No injuries have been reported, but there have been two incidents of the exterior paint catching fire. Consumers are advised to stop using the fireplaces immediately and return them to Lowe's for a full refund.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of Milano counter and bar stools that may be unstable because of missing or loose screws. Consumers should return the stools to Lowe's stores for a full refund.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of John Deere X300 Select Series Last Tractors. The commission said a manufacturing error could trigger damage to the circuit in the interlock module, causing the mower blades to run while unattended. No incidents or injuries have been reported. Consumers should contact a John Deere dealer for a free repair.

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency advises that a line of genetically engineered rice was unintentionally released in long grain rice packaged for the United States. There is no evidence the rice has been imported into Canada. The government of Canada continues to work with the United States Department of Agriculture to monitor distribution of the product.

Advisory

Various imported food products have failed to list milk protein on their ingredients labels,
the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has advised. People with allergies to milk protein should not consume Mong Lee Shang puddings in mango, strawberry, lychee, coconut and assorted fruit flavours. There have been no reported illnesses associated with consumption of these products. The CFIA is monitoring the importer's voluntary recall.

Advisory notice

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of the frog, fish or duck lawn sprinkler imported by the Massachusetts-based Syratech Corporation. Syratech has received two reports of the sprinkler cracking under water pressure, causing pieces to break off and fly into the air. No incidents of injuries have been reported.

Recall notice

Company information: Consumers can contact Syratech at (800) 471-3986 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has advised that various imported food products have failed to list milk protein on their ingredients labels. People with allergies to milk protein should not consume Delwin Mango-flavoured pudding, ABC fruit pudding, and a number of instant coffee and tea products from ChekHup. There have been no reported illnesses associated with consumption of these products.

Advisory notice

Health Canada is advising consumers that counterfeit Lipitor, which is used to treat high cholesterol, has been found on the market in Britain. The drug has a lot number of 067404K-3 and has an expiration date of May 2007. The health agency says that there is no indication the counterfeit Lipitor has reached the Canadian market but the product may have been purchased by Canadian travellers or over the internet.

Consumers may contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 if they believe they have a counterfeit version of this product.

Advisory notice

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the batteries used in the Apple iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 computers from October 2003 through August 2006. The commission said the lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Apple has received nine reports of overheating, including two reports of minor burns and other reports of minor property damage. Consumers should stop using the recalled batteries immediately and contact Apple for a free replacement battery. Consumers should use an AC Adapter to power the computer until a replacement battery arrives.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of York Barbell's Olympic weightlifting bars. The bars can snap under pressure, posing a risk of injury to users. No injuries have been reported. Consumers are advised to stop using the bars and return them to the company for a full refund.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of faulty pumps for fire suppression manufactured by ITT Water Technology. A mechanical piece on the pumps was not properly tightened, which can cause pump failure. No injuries have been reported.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of the replacement blades for use in the Snapper riding lawnmower. Blount International has received six reports of broken or cracked blades. No incidents of injury have been reported. Consumers are advised to stop using the blades immediately.

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed a case of mad cow in a mature beef cow from Alberta. No part of the animal entered the human food or animal feed systems. The agency is investigating the animal's birth farm in an effort to identify the animal's age, cows in the same herd and possible sources of contaminated feed.

Advisory

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has advised that various imported food products have failed to list milk protein on their ingredients labels. The importers of the products have issued a voluntary recall of specific Shih Cheng foods. No illnesses have been reported. Consumers with an allergy to milk protein might cause a serious or life-threatening reaction.

Advisory

Health Canada is reminding parents to avoid serving their children unpasteurized apple juice and other unpasteurized products, including cider and raw milk. The elderly and people with weakened immune systems should also avoid unpasteurized products because the untreated food or beverage has the potential to be contaminated with harmful bacteria. While most juice sold in Canada is pasteurized, some farmers' markets, orchards and grocery stores sell unpasteurized products.

Advisory

The product VG, marketed as a sexual enhancement and treatment for erectile dysfunction, should not be consumed because of concerns about possible side-effects, Health Canada has advised. The agency warns that the drug may contain sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, which should only be taken under medical supervision. This product is not sold in Canada but could have been purchased by Canadians travelling abroad or by consumers over the internet. No adverse reactions have been reported to Health Canada.

Advisory notice

Health Canada has issued an alert advising consumers not to use the product Meng Rong, which is marketed as a sexual enhancement and treatment for erectile dysfunction because of concerns about possible-side effects. The agency warns that the drug may contain sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, which should only be taken under medical supervision. This product is not sold in Canada, but could have been purchased by Canadians travelling abroad or by consumers over the internet. No adverse reactions have been reported to Health Canada.

Advisory notice

Health Canada has issued an alert advising consumers not to use the product Yixinjiaonang because of concerns about possible side-effects. Yixinjiaonang is marketed as a sexual enhancement and treatment for erectile dysfunction. The agency advises the product may have been corrupted with tadalafil, a prescription medication that should only be taken under medical supervision. This product is not sold in Canada, but could have been purchased by Canadians travelling abroad or by consumers over the internet. No adverse reactions have been reported to Health Canada.

Advisory notice

Health Canada has issued an alert advising consumers not to use the product Reduce Weight because of concerns about possible side-effects. The agency said it has concerns the drug may cause vision problems, increased heart rate and high blood pressure. This product is not sold in Canada, but could have been purchased by Canadians travelling abroad or by consumers over the internet. No adverse reactions have been reported to Health Canada.

Advisory notice

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled "Ideal" and "Brighter Child" brand science kits. Consumers should stop using these products immediately because the battery case in the science kit can overheat, posing a thermal burn hazard.

School Specialty has received one report of the battery case overheating, which resulted in a young boy receiving minor burns to his fingers.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of Air Hogs RC Skywinder Radio-Controlled Airplanes. The rechargeable battery pack inside the toy airplane can overheat posing a burn hazard.

The company has received 15 reports of the battery overheating, resulting in minor burns to two people.

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Health Canada is warning people not to drink products containing hydrogen peroxide for medicinal purposes because they can cause serious harm or death when ingested. Anyone who is currently using hydrogen peroxide in this manner should stop immediately and consult a health care provider.

Ingestion of hydrogen peroxide can cause serious harm or death, as well as irritation or ulcers in the stomach and intestines.

Health Canada advisory

Health Canada is advising the public about a potential link between health products containing the herbal medicine black cohosh, also known as Actaea racemosa or Cimicifuga racemosa, and liver damage.

Black cohosh, a herbal remedy used to treat menopausal and premenstrual symptoms, is also commonly called black snakeroot, black bugbane and rheumatism weed. The agency advises there have several international cases of suspected liver damage associated with the consumption of black cohosh, including three incidents in Canada and one published case of death in the U.S.

Most of these cases involved other medical issues, with other medications possibly contributing to the liver damage. Consumers should stop using the remedy and consult a physician if they experience unusual fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite or if they develop symptoms of liver injury such as yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, dark urine or abdominal pain.

Advisory notice

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public that select food products imported from China, Malaysia and Taiwan failed to list a milk product on their ingredients labels. No brand names have been identified for the products, but they are manufactured by Hainan Cocoboy Food Co. Ltd., and Sun Way Foods Co. Ltd.

No associated illnesses have been reported, but consumption of this product could cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in a person with allergies to milk protein. The importers are voluntarily recalling the affected products and the CFIA is investigating.

Advisory notice

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is advising the public to check cans of Mead Johnson powder infant formula for signs of tampering, after four suspicious cans were found in the Windsor, Ont., region.

Officials said one can was filled with what they suspect to be a detergent. No illnesses associated with the product have been reported. The CFIA is conducting an investigation and the police have been notified of the incident.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of five-gallon sizes of Zep Industrial Purple Cleaner & Degreaser and Zep Heavy Duty Floor Stripper. The plastic pails were found to unexpectedly crack at the base and leak the corrosive cleaner. Consumers should stop using the products immediately. No injuries or property damage have been reported. The Acute Specialty Products Group Inc. sold the cleaner at Home Depot from March 2006 through April 2006.

Recall notice
Company info: Consumers can call (888) 591-5053 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Kindermusik International has voluntarily recalled its Cage Bell Musical Instrument for Babies, which was sold between May 2006 and July 2006 on its website and by phone. If the bell is damaged during the manufacturing process, it can be pulled out of the instrument, creating a choking hazard. There have been no reports of incidents or injuries related to the product. Consumers were sent instructions on how to inspect the cage bell for defects. The company is offering a replacement for defective instruments.

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Lands' End has voluntarily recalled its children's Cool Blue Backpacks. During an internal product review, researchers found the backpack's battery was susceptible to overheating, causing the battery case to melt. The company has not received any reports of injuries or incidents. Backpacks sold after July 19, 2006, are not included in the recall. Lands' End sold the bags through its catalogue and website. Consumers should stop using the backpacks immediately.

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Blood glucose monitors that use different blood sugar measurements could cause confusion for diabetic patients, Health Canada warns. If patients do not know how to interpret the measurements, it could cause them to fail to manage their diet, medication and blood glucose levels. In Canada, the standard unit of blood glucose measures is millimoles per litre (mmol/L), but other countries use the different standard of milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL). The agency is warning patients to review the instructions for their blood glucose monitors and seek help from a pharmacist, physician or diabetic education unit.

Advisory notice

GreenMax ginger milk tea with brown sugar should not be consumed by people with allergies to milk protein, the CFIA has warned. GreenMax, imported from China, contains milk protein undeclared on its label. The agency is investigating. No associated illnesses have been reported, but consumption of this product could cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in a person with allergies to milk protein.

Advisory notice

The U.S. CPSC has announced a voluntary recall of Speed Buckle Harnesses and is advising consumers to stop using them immediately. The harness, if threaded improperly, will cause the webbing to slip easily when loaded, posing a risk to climbers. The Speed Buckle Harnesses were sold under the following model names: Gym Speed, Focus Speed, Momentum Speed, Vario Speed and Wiz Kid. The names can be found on a tag sewn inside the waist belt of the harnesses. Only Black Diamond Equipment Speed Buckle Harnesses with incorrectly threaded buckles are included in this recall. There have been no injuries reported.

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The U.S. CPSC has announced a voluntary recall of Tu-Wire ballasts used with dimmable compact fluorescent lights. The ballasts, if not properly grounded, can pose a risk of electric shock. Most of the lights were sold for commercial use, though some were sold to consumers between July 1998 and May 2006. Lutron Electronics is offering to arrange for free replacement of the recalled ballasts.

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Dell-branded lithium-ion batteries made with cells manufactured by Sony have been voluntarily recalled. Consumers should stop using the products immediately as the lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to users. Dell received six reports of batteries overheating, resulting in property damage. No injuries have been reported. The batteries were sold through Dell's website, catalogue, phone and direct sales from April 2004 through July 2006. Dell advises the use of an AC adapter until a replacement battery is installed.

Recall notice

Company information: (866) 342-0011 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday www.dellbatteryprogram.com Dell Inc., Attn: Battery Recall, 9701 Metric Blvd., Austin, Texas 78758.