Choking Hazard Warning Labels for Food Products

By Kelly Balamuth on June 30, 2010

We don’t often assume that the food we eat is going to pose any danger to our well being, let alone present a choking hazard. However, according to a New York Times article, a choking incident that occurred in 2006, which took the life of a 23-month-old girl, has recently sparked some debate. The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling on the Food and Drug Administration to require food products with choking risks to have warning labels on their packaging. In 2001, more than 17,000 children ended up in the emergency room due to choking, and more than half of those children ended up there due to choking on food of some kind.

While the vast majority of consumer products that pose any sort of risk are required to include potential dangers on their packaging, food products do not necessarily have to warn consumers in such a way. While the manufacturers of more dangerous foods, such as hot dogs, do often warn of the potential choking hazard to small children consuming hot dogs, there is no federal mandate that requires manufacturers of food products to warn of potential hazards.

Some products are inherently dangerous. However, it is the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure that consumers are properly warned and protect against the dangers that such products pose. If a consumer is injured by a manufacturer’s failure to warn of a product’s potential risks, a Northern California attorney may help a consumer obtain compensation for damages resulting from an injury. For more information about dangerous products and your legal options involving them, please contact the experienced Northern California personal injury attorneys at Balamuth Harrington, LLP today for a free consultation.