Intestinal Cleansing Supplement Recalled Due To Risk Of Bottle Explosion

A company is recalling a specific lot of its intestinal cleansing supplement because the bottles may explode. The products were distributed to retailers and customers in several states.

Mountain Meadow Herbs Candida Flush is an "endotoxin cleanse" that helps with the "elimination of toxins" from the body. The problem with the product was discovered after a customer filed a complaint, the company announcement posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website noted. This prompted an internal investigation, during which it was discovered that some bottles of the finished products in Lot# 0120011Q actually become pressurized "over time" in storage.

According to the company, this can result in the product "forcefully" expelling air, portions of the capsules as well as powder when it's opened, thereby posing injury risks to customers' hands and eyes. So far, there have been no injuries or illnesses reported. However, what exactly caused the problem is still under investigation.

The affected Mountain Meadow Herbs Candida Flush products have "UPC 8 13086 01593 2," "Lot #0120011 Q" and "Exp 12/22" printed on them, according to the label the FDA shared via its official Twitter account.

They were distributed to retailers in Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Tennessee and Ontario in Canada. They were also sold directly to consumers in Indiana, Minnesota and Montana, as well as in Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

A total of 54 bottles of the products in the affected lot are included in the recall. These contain 240 capsules each.

"This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration," the company noted. "If you have any of these products, please dispose of them immediately. Customers with questions can contact the firm at 1-888-528-8615, Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm MT, or send email to info@mmherbs.com."

Though the root of the problem in the current recall is still unclear, cases of bottles exploding and causing injury are not new. In 2016, for instance, researchers accounted for the "first reported case" of a severe ocular trauma brought on by a plastic bottle cap without misuse.

It happened to a 20-year-old medical student after he threw out a plastic PET bottle that he did not realize was still containing orange juice. Evidently, the orange juice had been fermenting in the bottle for months and caused the pressure to be built up in the bottle. The pressure, together with the "minor impact" of the trash bag landing in the bin, caused the cap to be expelled when the bottle exploded. Because of the incident, the student suffered a "severe sight-threatening injury" in his left eye.

"Although plastic bottles are undoubtedly safer than glass bottles, this does not make them harmless," the researchers wrote. "This case demonstrates their hidden danger in what is a normal everyday household activity."