Voluntary recall of freezer gel packs

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of Cryofreeze and Arctic Zone freezer gel packs because of the danger of illness if the gel packs are ingested.

About 880,000 Cryofreeze ice/hot packs and Arctic Zone ice packs are included in this recall.

248,000 of the gel packs associated with lunch boxes and 55,000 associated with food carriers were already recalled in January 2012.

The packs are gel-filled plastic pouches with either transparent or opaque sealed wrappers used to keep food hot or cold.

Although no injuries have been reported yet, the Safety Commission says if the packs become damaged, they can leak gel that could contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which can cause illness if ingested in large amounts.

The gel packs were sold separately and with a variety of lunch boxes, coolers and thermal carriers. Six gel pack styles are being recalled:

•   Cryofreeze ice/hot packs in small and large styles. Both have opaque blue wrappers with the words " Cryofreeze," "Ice Pack/Hot Pack," "Non-toxic" and "Reusable" printed on the front]
•  The small gel pack is 6 inches wide and 5.5 inches high      - The large gel pack is 8.5 inches wide and 8 inches high
• Cryofreeze Transparent Cell ice/hot packs in three styles. Each has a transparent wrapper with the words " Cryofreeze," "Ice Pack/Hot Pack," "Non-toxic" and "Reusable" printed on the front:
• One 3-cell pack has three connected rectangular-shaped pouches of blue gel and is 7.85 inches wide and 5.5 inches high.
• Another 3-cell pack has three connected square-shaped pouches of blue gel and is 7.6 inches wide and 3 inches high.
• The 2-cell pack has two connected square-shaped pouches of blue gel and is 5 inches wide and 3 inches high.
• Arctic Zone ice pack is 6.25 inches wide and 4 inches high and has an opaque blue wrapper. The Arctic Zone logo and a picture of an iceberg appear on the front of the wrapper. The words "ICE," "Personal Ice Pack" and "Non-Toxic Leak Proof Gel" are also printed on the front of the wrapper.
   

Anyone who has one of the gel packs is asked to stop using it, and contact the importers, California Innovations, to receive a $6 or $5 refund depending on the size of the pack.

For additional information, call California Innovations at (800) 722-2545 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, e-mail ci-recall@ca-innovations.com or visit the firm's website at www.californiainnovations.com