SILVER SPRING, MD — The Food and Drug Administration is warning families not to buy or serve Once Upon a Farm Tractor Wheels Organic Toddler Soft-Baked Bars after receiving several choking reports involving young children. The warning covers every flavor, quantity, lot code and expiration date of the product.
FDA officials said the agency has heard from parents and caregivers about children ages 1.5 to 2.5 years old who suffered complete airway obstruction after eating the bars. In those cases, the children could not breathe and standard choking responses, including back blows and the Heimlich maneuver, may not have been enough to clear the blockage.
FDA says the bars can turn into a sticky mass in the mouth
The agency said the product may be especially dangerous because of the way it behaves when chewed. According to the FDA, the bars can form a dry, sticky mass that may be difficult to dislodge once it becomes lodged in a child’s airway.
That warning is central to the agency’s advice to consumers. The FDA said the product may resist common first-aid techniques used during choking emergencies, which is why it is urging families to stop serving it immediately and discard any packages already in the home.
Reports describe emergency responses and hospital observation
The FDA said some of the choking incidents were serious enough to require emergency response intervention. In other reported cases, children were taken for hospital observation after the episodes.
The agency did not say how many reports it has received, but it described them as several and said they involved infants and toddlers in the age range of 1.5 to 2.5 years. The warning is aimed at preventing additional injuries while the situation is being reviewed.
Product sold at major retailers and online across the country
Once Upon a Farm Tractor Wheels Organic, Toddler Soft-Baked Bars are sold nationwide through online channels and in stores. The FDA specifically named Costco, Target and Walmart as retailers carrying the product.
The agency also said the bars may be available through Amazon.com and other third-party sellers. Because the warning applies to all flavors, sizes, lot codes and expiration dates, the FDA’s advice is not limited to a single batch or package type.
Consumers told to throw the snack away immediately
The FDA said consumers should not buy the bars and should not serve them to children. Families who already have them at home are being told to throw them away right away rather than try to use them up.
The warning includes every variety of the product, regardless of where it was bought. The agency’s guidance reflects its concern that a parent or caregiver may not be able to tell which package could create a choking risk.
FDA has urged the company to recall the product
The agency said it has informed the company about the adverse event reports and recommended a recall. The FDA did not announce a recall itself in the warning, but it made clear that it wants the product pulled from sale.
For now, the agency is treating the issue as a consumer safety warning tied to choking hazards rather than a limited label correction. Its message to parents is straightforward: do not serve Once Upon a Farm Tractor Wheels Organic, Toddler Soft-Baked Bars to young children.
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