Remember the good old days when the only worries with handing out candy were razor blades in apples at Halloween? It seems that age of innocence has passed, never to return. Last week, an elementary school in Polk County, Florida had their Valentine’s Day party crashed by metal shavings in their Pokemon lollipops. This was just after a Lakeland, Florida woman claimed to have found a razor blade in her child’s candy.
The importer, Sherwood Brands, recalled 400,000 treats and advised all stores within its distribution network to remove the Pokemon lollipops immediately. Dollar General sold the product, but has pulled it from all its stores nationwide since being notified of the situation.
Polk County authorities began the investigation after Lisa Porter found the razor blade in the candy she bought for her son. Metal shavings were then found in lollipops sold at separate stores, leaving not much but conjecture. According to Polk County Sheriff, Grady Judd, the lollipops do not appear to be tampered with. The metal shavings were baked into the candy in – where else? – China.
The China Connection
China has certainly been ground zero in the world of recall. Toys, candy, pet food and other defective products have found their way to shelves in the U.S. Why, we as consumers wonder, is this continuing? As Sheriff Judd said: “We do know this: [the lollipops were] made in China, and the quality control was not there.” Is it a mere problem of quality control in China, or is it something else?
At least, in the case of the lollipops, you can see the metal shavings. You can see through the candy, which helped the authorities to determine this was not a case of product tampering. (Imagine if the shavings were in chocolate hearts or some other type of V-Day candy.) Had any of these children eaten any of this candy, the injuries suffered would probably be pretty awful. Cutting your tongue or mouth is one thing, but imagine swallowing shards of metal. Rumors of an international incident would surely follow if this were the case.
While the chances of becoming entangled in the world of recalled products seem minute, given all the consumer products out there, it still happens. If you, or someone you know, have been injured due to a product defect, and you feel that you want to pursue legal representation, please contact an injury lawyer with experience in the field of product liability.
