Product Recalls

Dollar Tree Stores Inc. is recalling about 253,000 Chinese-made glue guns because they can short-circuit, causing them to smoke and catch fire. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Dollar Tree was aware of seven incidents in which the glue guns short-circuited, including two injuries involving electrical shock and burns. The Crafters Square hot melt mini-glue guns were sold at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, Dollar Express, Greenbacks, Only One $1, and Deal$ stores from February through August 2007, the commission said.

Leave no patty unturned, no meatball overlooked. That was the mandate late last week as school district officials across the Southland tried to identify all meat that had come from a Chino-based slaughterhouse accused of distributing ground beef from at-risk cattle. This is not the first recall to affect California schools -- tainted strawberries and spinach have also caused scares in recent years.

U.S. toy sales fell slightly in 2007 as the industry suffered from negative publicity surrounding the recall of millions of Chinese-made playthings and a weakening economy, according to data released Tuesday by market research firm NPD Group. U.S. toy sales fell about 2% to $22.1 billion from $22.6 billion in 2006. The biggest declines came in dolls at 8%, while sales in the infant and preschool category and the outdoor and sports category each fell 5%.

The importer of a Valentine's Day lollipop said it was voluntarily recalling the treats after metal fragments were found in at least two lollipops sold at central Florida stores. Sherwood Brands of Maryland, which imports the candy from China, said it was recalling all of its Pokemon Valentine Cards and Pops, which have been pulled from the shelves of thousands of stores across the country. About 20 lollipops were seized at Kathleen Elementary School in Lakeland.

Chattem Inc. is recalling all sizes and lots of the following Icy Hot Heat Therapy products: Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air Activated Heat -- Back; Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air Activated Heat -- Arm, Neck & Leg; and samples of Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air Activated Heat -- Arm, Neck & Leg, which were included as promotions in 3-ounce cartons of Aspercreme Pain Relieving Creme. They were recalled because the company has received reports of first-degree, second-degree and third-degree burns as well as skin irritation associated with using these products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the largest beef recall in its history Sunday, calling for the destruction of 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef produced by a Chino slaughterhouse that has been accused of inhumane practices. However, the USDA said the vast majority of the meat involved in the recall -- including 37 million pounds that went mostly to schools -- probably has been eaten already. Officials emphasized that danger to consumers was minimal.

Susan Hartley knows exactly where the now-shuttered Hallmark meat plant is: The high-walled compound sits just six blocks from her office. But until 143 million pounds of beef from the company were recalled this week, the Chino Valley Unified School District food director had no idea some of the beef served in her cafeterias came from the old dairy cows slaughtered just around the corner.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Edward T. Schafer said Friday that the nation's largest beef recall had set back negotiations to ship U.S. beef to Japan and South Korea. Those markets were closed to the U.S. cattle industry in 2003 after a scare over bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as mad cow disease. Schafer said at a convention of meatpackers and processors that he was hopeful trade talks would continue, but that the Westland/Hallmark Meat Packing Co.

Owners of about 4.6 million Ford vehicles were warned Thursday to bring their cars and trucks to dealerships immediately so that cruise control switch systems that might cause engine fires could be disconnected. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the consumer advisory to owners of certain unrepaired Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, vans and passenger cars who have not responded to past recalls. The recalls have affected Ford Motor Co.'

Baxter International Inc. said Thursday that it had recalled the remaining lots of its troubled blood-thinning drug heparin as U.S. regulators reported "objectionable conditions" at the Chinese factory that supplied the raw ingredient for the drug. Heparin has been linked to four deaths and hundreds of adverse reactions and is the subject of an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration. It is not known whether the Chinese plant is the cause of the problems, the FDA said.