U.S. health officials are warning Americans again to avoid a growing list of imported hand sanitizers that may be contaminated with the toxic chemical methanol.
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday there have been increasing reports of injury due to people using— sometimes ingesting—the unauthorized sanitizers, which can lead to blindness, heart problems and death.
The active ingredient that kills germs in legitimate sanitizers is ethyl alcohol, which is consumable. But some Mexican companies have been replacing it with poisonous methanol, or wood alcohol, which is used in antifreeze.
