Toddler Snack Bars Pose Fatal Choking Hazard, FDA Warns

Consumers have been warned not to buy or serve a toddler snack bar due to fatal choking hazards.

Once Upon a Farm announced the recall of its Tractor Wheel Organic Toddler Soft-Baked Bars on Oct. 30, including all flavors, varieties, quantities, and lot codes.

The Food and Drug Administration received three consumer complaints about choking, prior to the product recall, according to the company announcement. The company said no injuries have been reported so far.

Toddlers, aged 1.5–2.5 years, suffered “complete airway obstruction with the inability to breathe after consuming the product,” the FDA said.

“When chewed, the product reportedly forms a dry, sticky mass that standard choking interventions — including back blows and the Heimlich maneuver — may fail to dislodge. Some reported choking incidents have required emergency response intervention and hospital observation.”

The recalled products’ expiration dates run through Aug. 26, 2027. They were sold across the United States and in Puerto Rico through retail stores and online platforms such as Walmart, Target, and Costco, as well as third-party vendors.

The agency advised customers who have bought the items to either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for refunds.

The flavors of Tractor Wheel products being recalled are:

• Strawberry, Pumpkin & Beet with UPC code 81000351261 for a 5-count pack and UPC code 810003512932 for the 10-count pack.

• Apple, Sweet Potato & Spinach with UPC 81000351260 for a 5-count pack and UPC 810003512840 for the 10-count pack.

• Banana, Pumpkin & Cauliflower, UPC 81000351262, for the 5-count pack.

The company is recalling variety packs and sampler packs of these products with various counts, UPC codes, and case numbers.

The company is working with the FDA “to make sure affected products are removed and families have the information they need,” Once Upon a Farm CEO John Foraker said in a message posted on the company website.

“As part of this process and a larger evaluation of Tractor Wheels products, we are reformulating these family favorites to ensure they adhere to the highest standards,” he said.

Uncooked foods or foods that come in certain sizes and shapes can pose choking hazards for children. Dividing food into smaller pieces or mashing it can help reduce the risk of choking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

To minimize choking risk, parents should ensure their children sit up while eating rather than lying down or crawling. Children must also be prevented from eating while in strollers or cars. They should be able to eat without any rush, disruption, or distraction.

Some foods that pose choking hazards include raw or cooked whole corn kernels, uncut grapes or berries, uncooked dried fruits or vegetables, whole or chopped nuts and seeds, whole beans, large chunks of cheese, cookies and granola bars, potato or corn chips, chewing gum, marshmallows, and chewy fruit snacks, the CDC said.

The American Heart Association updated its guidance last year on what to do if an infant is severely choking.

“Guidance for choking in infants has been updated to alternate between five back blows and five chest thrusts using the heel of one hand, until the foreign object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive,” it said in an Oct. 22 statement. “Abdominal thrusts are not recommended for infants, due to the risk of injury.”

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated which entity received the three complaints. The Epoch Times regrets the error.