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On June 29, 2026, Intercon Chemical Co. of St. Louis, Missouri initiated a voluntary recall of six hand soap products, including the Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe, due to possible bacterial contamination [1]. On September 11, 2026, the FDA classified the recall as Class II, meaning exposure to the affected products may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences. The FDA enforcement report confirmed potential contamination with up to five bacterial strains including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas monteilii, Serratia marcescens, and Serratia nematodiphila [2].
What Product Is Affected?
The recall covers the following Intercon-branded product distributed to commercial facilities and wholesalers nationwide:
- Product: Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe
- Size: 28.7 fl. oz.
- UPC: 789745002578
- Lot Codes: 26-01001 and 26-01803
- Best By Dates: March 13, 2028 and March 28, 2028
- Cases Recalled: 300
The recalled product was distributed through 19 wholesalers and one retail location across 16 states including California, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The Manufacturer’s Own Brand Is Recalled
Of the six products included in the Intercon Chemical Co. recall, five are manufactured by Intercon and sold under third-party brand names — Vestis, Summit 150, Clearly Better, and Laura Lynn. The sixth is the Intercon-branded product itself, carrying the manufacturer’s own name on the label.
That distinction matters from a liability standpoint. When Intercon manufactured contaminated soap that was sold under another company’s brand, it bore manufacturing liability while the distributor bore brand responsibility. When Intercon manufactured contaminated soap under its own brand, it bears both roles simultaneously — manufacturing the product, branding it, and distributing it to wholesale buyers who trusted the Intercon name as a signal of quality control.
Shared Lot Codes and a Manufacturing-Level Failure
Lot codes 26-01001 and 26-01803 appear across multiple products in this recall — including the Clearly Better by Intercon and Laura Lynn products — indicating that the same contaminated production batches were packaged and distributed under different brand names simultaneously. That cross-brand contamination pattern points to a systemic failure at the manufacturing level rather than a defect isolated to any single product line.
A manufacturer that produced contaminated batches and then distributed them under its own label, under a “green” branded label, under a private label for a major grocery chain, and under commercial brand names — all from the same contaminated lots — faces a unified and serious legal exposure that extends across every product in the recall.
The Bacteria in This Recall
Pseudomonas aeruginosa — the most clinically significant organism named in the FDA enforcement report — is a drug-resistant opportunistic pathogen that can cause severe infections in people with open wounds, implanted medical devices, or compromised immune systems [3]. Using contaminated hand soap introduces these bacteria directly to the hands — and from there to every surface, food, wound, or face the user touches.
Serratia marcescens and the other named Serratia and Pseudomonas strains carry similar antibiotic resistance profiles, making treatment more difficult once an infection is established. The irony of contracting a drug-resistant infection from a product designed to prevent the spread of bacteria is one that the law recognizes as a serious product failure.
Incidents and Injuries
No specific illnesses have been publicly reported in connection with the Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe as of the September 21, 2026 TODAY coverage date. Individuals who used the recalled soap and developed skin infections, wound infections, or other adverse health effects should contact their healthcare provider immediately and report the incident to the FDA’s MedWatch program at 800-FDA-1088.
What Should Facilities and Distributors Do?
Facilities and distributors that received the recalled Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe should immediately check inventory and dispensers for lot codes 26-01001 and 26-01803 and pull all matching product from service. Any dispensers that contained the recalled soap should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before being refilled.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
Consumers, workers, or facility occupants who developed infections or adverse health consequences after using recalled Intercon Foaming Pear Hand Soap with Aloe may have significant legal options against Intercon Chemical Co. and related parties. Contact an attorney promptly to have your case evaluated.
References
1. https://www.today.com/shop/hand-soap-recall-september-2026-rcna598321
2. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ires/?Event=99466
3. https://www.cdc.gov/pseudomonas-aeruginosa/about/index.html