Health & Fit FDA Announces New Deadly Toxin Found in Hand Sanitizers, Adding to Recalls

© Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images A person takes from a bottle of hydroalcoholic hand sanitizer on March 5, 2020. The FDA has recalled more than 100 hand sanitizers that contain methanol, and now the agency says 1-propanol is another toxin found in hand sanitizers.

It's been almost two months since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began recalls of hand sanitizers because certain products contained methanol, also know as wood alcohol. Since then, more than 100 hand sanitizers have been recalled.

The FDA just updated its list of hand sanitizers you should avoid to include products that contain the deadly chemical methanol

According to the FDA, methanol has been reported to cause blindness, hospitalization, and even death when absorbed through the skin or ingested.  "Methanol is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand sanitizer and must not be used due to its toxic effects," the FDA wrote in a report on its website. "FDA's investigation of methanol in certain hand sanitizers is ongoingVisit Insider's homepage for more stories.The Food and Drug Administration updated its growing list of hand sanitizers to avoid on Friday, adding five products based in Mexico that contain the dangerous chemical methanol.

The Food and Drug Administration has expanded the list of hand sanitizers — some sold at Walmart, Costco and other national chains — being recalled to at least 75 recently, saying toxic levels of wood alcohol in them can cause injury or death. The FDA said that there has been an increase in

The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) issued an expanded warning to avoid 76 hand sanitizer brands The recalled hand sanitizers are made by Eskbiochem and other companies in Mexico and contain Methanol, unlike the ethyl alcohol commonly found in hand sanitizer , is not an approved

The FDA on Wednesday announced another toxin that can be as deadly as methanol. That toxin is called 1-propanol, which can depress the central nervous system. The FDA stated some products are labeled to contain ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, but have tested positive for 1-propanol contamination.

"The agency urges consumers not to use these 1-propanol-contaminated products and has expanded its do-not-use list of hand sanitizers ... that are or may be contaminated with 1-propanol, in addition to other hand sanitizers the agency is urging consumers not to use," the FDA said in a statement.

Consumers who have any products on the do-not-use list, or potentially has methanol or 1-propanol, should quit using them immediately and get rid of them through a hazardous waste container. The agency recommends to not wash them down the drain.

The FDA said the biggest issues with the products are young children accidentally ingesting the toxin, or adults and adolescents who drink it as a substitute for alcohol. On animal tests, 1-propanol is 2 to 4 times as potent to the central nervous system as ethanol—or normal alcohol.

The FDA Has Added Nearly 80 More Products to Its List of Dangerous Hand Sanitizers

The hand sanitizers in question all contain methanol, a wood alcohol that can cause nervous-system damage.The FDA recommends using hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of at least 60 percent, but not just any alcohol — ethanol or isopropanol are the safe, effective, and doctor-recommended varieties. Another type of alcohol derived from wood, called methanol, "is a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested and can be life-threatening when ingested," the FDA warns. And, unfortunately, the agency has been finding more and more products contaminated with it.

The FDA announced it had seen a sharp increase in hand sanitizers that have tested positive for methanol contamination, even though they were FDA tested product; contains methanol; FDA recommended a recall on 07/01/2020; added to import alert to stop products from entering the U.S

The hand sanitizers tested positive for methanol, a toxic substance when absorbed through the skin or ingested. The FDA said Thursday that methanol, or wood alcohol, "is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand sanitizers and must not be used due to its toxic effects."

Symptoms of exposure to 1-propanol include confusion, decreased consciousness, and slowed pulse and breathing. Anyone who has come in contact with a product containing 1-propanol and begins feeling any of these symptoms should seek immediate care to treat potential 1-propanol poisoning.

Though hand sanitizer is commonly recommended to help keep your hands clean while in public—or even inside your home—so many of them have been discovered to have methanol, which can be toxic if either ingested or infiltrated wrongly through skin. The introduction of 1-propanol is another way the FDA is warning consumers of the dangers of products on the market.

For people wanting to continuously stay clean, the FDA and CDC recommend that you wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds—as needed, or several times a day—and to practice good hygiene. Hand sanitizers are recommended while in public, as long as the product contains at least 60 percent ethanol.

The FDA has advised people to not use certain hand sanitizers that are manufactured in Mexico.

Hand sanitizers became a hot commodity as spreading of COVID-19 during the global pandemic led to fears, shutdowns and more awareness of cleanliness.

"FDA remains vigilant and will continue to take action when quality issues arise with hand sanitizers," it said. "Additionally, the agency is concerned with false and misleading claims for hand sanitizers, for example that they can provide prolonged protection such as 24-hours against viruses including COVID-19, since there is no evidence to support these claims."

FDA's list of hand sanitizers to avoid grows again with more than 100 identified that may contain methanol

The FDA has further expanded the list of hand sanitizers to avoid because they may contain the toxic substance methanol. More have been recalled.As of Saturday, the FDA's "do-not-use list of dangerous hand sanitizer products" now includes 101 varieties of hand sanitizer that should be avoided – some that have already been recalled and other products being recommended for recalls – as they may contain methanol, a potentially fatal ingredient.

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – The Food and Drug Administration has added dozens more hand sanitizers to a growing list of products that should be avoided after they tested All of the hand sanitizers on the list were apparently produced in Mexico. According to the FDA , it has seen a spike

The FDA expanded its alert about hand sanitizers containing methanol, a potentially toxic substance. FDA warns of dozens more hand sanitizers to avoid, growing list to 75. By July 8, several dozen more products had been added to the list for either containing methanol or for being

Here's a list of hand sanitizers the FDA says to not use:

The FDA encourages health care professionals, consumers and patients to report adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of hand sanitizers to FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program (please provide the agency with as much information as possible to identify the product).

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