More than 350,000 units of iron-containing vitamins and supplements have been recalled by their manufacturer after being distributed in packaging that lacked legally required child-resistant safety caps.
The voluntary recall, announced by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), affects approximately 356,140 units of various dietary supplements manufactured by Vitaquest International. The company stated the packaging failure violates the US federal Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA), which mandates such safety features for substances that pose a poisoning risk to children.
The products span multiple brands, including Arey, Bari Life, Bird&Be, Biote, Dr. Fuhrman, NuLife, HMR, Bariatric Pal, Noevir, Zenbean, and Sakara. Among them are items specifically marketed to pregnant women, such as Bird&Be’s prenatal packs, and to children, like Dr. Fuhrman’s Pixie Vites children’s multivitamin. Other brands, like Bari Life, specialise in supplements for individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery.
These products were sold across the United States from April 2023 through February 2026 at retailers including The Vitamin Shoppe, Ulta Beauty, and Credo Beauty, as well as online via Amazon and brand websites, with prices ranging from around £13 to £130.
The Critical Danger to Young Children
The primary hazard driving the urgent recall is the severe risk of poisoning from accidental iron ingestion by young children. Regulators emphasise that iron, while an essential nutrient, is highly toxic in large amounts, particularly to small children whose bodies cannot process excess levels.
Historically, iron poisoning has been a leading cause of fatal medication poisonings in children under six. The risk is compounded by the fact that some supplements have a candy-like appearance, making them appealing to toddlers. Even a small number of tablets can prove fatal. The absence of proper child-resistant caps, which are designed to be difficult for children under five to open, significantly elevates this danger. The CPSC and Vitaquest have stated no incidents or injuries have been reported in relation to this packaging defect to date.
In the United Kingdom, similar stringent regulations exist. The Medicines (Child Safety) Regulations 2003 require child-resistant packaging for medicines containing more than 24mg of elemental iron. For non-medicinal food supplements, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) oversees recalls, and products containing over 20mg of iron must carry advisory statements about potential adverse effects.
Consumers in possession of the affected products are urged to store them immediately out of the sight and reach of children. Vitaquest International is offering free replacement child-resistant caps or storage pouches to mitigate the risk.
Customers can contact the company toll-free at 844-298-4545 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, by email at [email protected], or online via its dedicated recall page at vitaquest.com. Lot numbers, expiration dates, and UPC codes for all recalled items are listed on the CPSC’s official website.
While this recall is initiated under US jurisdiction, the international presence of brands like Bird&Be and Bari Life raises questions about distribution in other markets, including the UK. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) handles medicine recalls in Britain, while local Trading Standards services deal with general product safety. There has been no indication yet from UK authorities regarding these specific Vitaquest-manufactured products.