Baby Sleep Gripe Water Recalled Over Undeclared Methanol

On October 7, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a voluntary recall notice from Pacific Health Sciences for one specific lot of Babies' Magic Tea Baby Sleep Gripe Water. Laboratory testing conducted by the FDA detected undeclared ethanol (approximately 8.3%), methanol (approximately 0.35%), and isopropanol (approximately 0.48%) inside the liquid dietary supplement. The company says consumers, parents and caregivers should stop using any product from lot 25122bw, discard it or return it for a refund, and seek medical attention if anyone has symptoms after using it.

Key takeaways:

• Pacific Health Sciences voluntarily recalled lot 25122bw of Babies' Magic Tea Baby Sleep Gripe Water after FDA testing revealed undeclared ethanol, methanol, and isopropanol.
• FDA measured approximately 8.3% ethanol, 0.35% methanol, and 0.48% isopropanol; the notice says their presence may pose a risk depending on the amount consumed and the user's age and body weight.
• The recall specifically targets 4-ounce amber bottles with a Best Before date of 12/2028 distributed online via Amazon and Secrets of Tea.
• Caregivers are advised to cease use immediately, discard the bottle or request a refund, and report any potential adverse reactions to FDA MedWatch.

What happened

On October 6, 2026, Pacific Health Sciences announced a voluntary recall of one lot of its Babies' Magic Tea brand Baby Sleep Gripe Water, a dietary supplement sold in a 4 oz bottle. The FDA posted the company's announcement on October 7, 2026. The recall followed FDA testing of the lot that found three alcohols the label did not declare.

According to the official announcement, FDA testing of the recalled lot confirmed the presence of approximately 8.3% ethanol, 0.35% methanol, and 0.48% isopropanol. The notice says these substances "were not listed on the label." The recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the FDA.

To date, Pacific Health Sciences has received no reports of adverse events associated with this lot. In the company's words, the substances' presence "may pose a risk depending on the amount consumed and the age and body weight of the person using the product."

What changed

The recall takes one lot of gripe water out of use. The labeling rule behind it is 21 CFR 101.4(g): on a dietary supplement, ingredients that are not dietary ingredients, "such as excipients, fillers, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, flavors, or binders," must be included in the ingredient list, which appears under an "Ingredients" or "Other ingredients" heading next to the Supplement Facts panel.

Measured levels of approximately 8.3% ethanol, 0.35% methanol, and 0.48% isopropanol put a clear gap between the label and what was in the bottle. A shopper reading the box had no way to know the liquid contained ethanol, isopropanol (the alcohol in rubbing alcohol) or methanol, because none of them was listed.

Who is affected

The scope of this recall is strictly limited to one single production batch. The affected product is a 4 fluid ounce (approximately 118 mL) amber bottle inside a blue cardboard box; an oral syringe is included in the box. The specific identifiers for the recalled product are:

• Brand: Babies' Magic Tea
• Product Name: Baby Sleep Gripe Water
• Size: 4 fl oz (approximately 118 mL)
• Lot Number: 25122bw
• Best Before Date: 12/2028

The lot number appears on the bottom of the box and on a side panel of the bottle. Only lot 25122bw is covered by this notice; Pacific Health Sciences has not named other lots, and the brand as a whole is not recalled.

According to the notice, the product was distributed to Secrets of Tea for subsequent distribution through online retailers, including www.secretsoftea.com and Amazon. The notice does not say how many bottles were sold or when the lot was on sale.

What it means for shoppers

For shoppers and caregivers, this recall shows the limit of reading a label: when a substance is missing from the ingredient list, a shopper cannot catch it, and it took FDA testing to find these three alcohols. If you have purchased Babies' Magic Tea Baby Sleep Gripe Water online, check the packaging immediately for lot 25122bw.

If your bottle bears lot number 25122bw, follow the company's instructions:

• Stop using any product from lot 25122bw.
• Either discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
• Anyone who experiences symptoms after using the product should seek medical attention and contact Pacific Health Sciences.
• Report any adverse health events or quality problems to the FDA MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by mail or fax (call 1-800-332-1088 to request a form).

For questions or to report a reaction, the company lists its phone line, 310-457-1775, staffed Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

The background

The notice itself gives one reason for concern: the presence of ethanol, methanol and isopropanol "may pose a risk depending on the amount consumed and the age and body weight of the person using the product." It does not estimate a dose per serving, and neither the company nor the FDA has described a health effect at these levels.

Methanol is the substance most people recognize from poisoning warnings. CDC/NIOSH emergency-response guidance on methanol as a systemic agent says its metabolic byproducts "cause an accumulation of acid in the blood (metabolic acidosis), blindness, and death." NIOSH notes that symptoms of methanol toxicity may not become apparent until after an asymptomatic period lasting from 1 to 72 hours. That card is written for acute poisoning; it does not address infants or a 0.35% level, and neither Pacific Health Sciences nor the FDA has said any dose from this product causes those effects. It does help explain why the notice tells anyone with symptoms to seek care.

The public record does not say how these alcohols got into the product; neither the FDA nor the company has given a cause. The notice also does not state how many units were sold, when distribution began, or whether other lots or products were tested.

What to watch next

The FDA posted the company's notice on October 7, 2026. Several basic questions are still open in the public record: how the ethanol, methanol and isopropanol got into the product, how many bottles from lot 25122bw were sold, and whether the FDA tested other lots or other gripe water products.

The announcement does not include an FDA recall classification. If the agency classifies the recall, that entry will appear in its weekly Enforcement Report.

For now, the recall covers only lot 25122bw, Best Before 12/2028. Checking the bottom of the box or the side of the bottle is the fastest way to know whether a bottle at home is included.