The U.S. consumer group GoodGuide now says it was mistaken to label Zhu Zhu Pets unsafe. (Associated Press)

A California consumer group that released test results last week showing excessive heavy metal levels in several toys now says it wrongly interpreted the results.

"While we accurately reported the chemical levels in the toys that we measured using our testing method, we should not have compared our results to federal standards," said the group, GoodGuide, in a written release. "We regret this error."

GoodGuide reported that tests results indicated several toys contained levels of the heavy metal antimony that exceeded federal U.S. limits, including the new 'it" toy Zhu Zhu Pets robotic hamsters. It said antimony was found on the fur and nose of the hamster model, Mr. Squiggles. Antimony can cause vomiting if eaten, and heart and lung problems if breathed in.

The group also said it also found higher-than-allowed levels of antimony on International Playthings' My First Purse, while other similar tests turned up high levels of the chemical chromium in the Bakugan 7-in-1 Maxus Helios and Fisher-Price's Laugh&Learn Laughing Farm, all popular toys.

The maker of Zhu Zhu Pets, Ohio-based Celia LLC, vehemently defended their toy safety from the start and asked to see GoodGuide's test results.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, (CPSC), launched an investigation, and that's where the GoodGuide claims fell apart.

GoodGuide admitted its testing method is not recognized by the CPSC for judging whether a toy is hazardous. It uses a special gun that shoots X-rays into a toy and gives a reading for how much lead, antimony or other substances are in the material.

In CPSC testing, the goal is to determine how much of a heavy metal would actually seep out if a child sucked or swallowed a toy — not just how much of a potentially dangerous substance a toy contains.

"CPSC confirmed today that the popular Zhu Zhu toy is not out of compliance with the antimony or other heavy metal limits of the new U.S. mandatory toy standard," agency spokesman Scott Wolfson said.

Bruce Katz, Cepia's vice-president for sales, said the consumer group's statement had not dulled sales of Zhu Zhu Pets. Over the weekend, the company logged its highest sales so far this year, according to Katz. He said hundreds of thousands of the toy were sold, but would not specify beyond that.

Katz would not say whether Cepia plans to sue GoodGuide. The consumer group did not respond to requests for comment.

"Now that Mr. Squiggles has been exonerated," the company just wants to assure customers that its products are safe, said Katz.