Sour Crush Candy Recall 2026: Toddler Choking Hazard - Scrunchy Living

Sour Crush Candy Recall 2026: Toddler Choking Hazard

If you have Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy in your home, check your pantry right now — more than 2.3 million bottles have been recalled due to a choking hazard that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) describes as a risk of "serious injury or death."

TL;DR:
- Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy bottles (all four colors/flavors) are recalled due to a detachable roller ball that poses a choking risk to young children.
- Stop using the product immediately, keep it out of reach of toddlers, and contact the manufacturer for a refund.
- Look for the Ricky Joy logo, the words "EXTREME SOUR" and "SOUR CRUSH," and a green monster image on the label to identify recalled bottles.

Key Takeaways

  • The CPSC announced the recall of approximately 2.3 million Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy bottles on September 10–11, 2026, citing a detachable roller ball as a serious choking hazard for young children.
  • Recalled bottles were sold individually and in packs of three or 12 at major retailers including Walmart and H-E-B, in blue raspberry, strawberry, green apple, and pink lemonade flavors.
  • Consumers should immediately stop using the product, keep bottles away from children, and contact International Trade Imports LLC (The Ricky Joy Company) for remedy options.

Why Does This Matter for Families With Toddlers?

Toddlers and young children explore the world by putting things in their mouths. A small, smooth ball that detaches from a candy bottle is exactly the kind of object that can silently and quickly become a life-threatening airway obstruction. The CPSC classifies this as a risk of serious injury or death, which is the commission's highest level of hazard language. If this product is anywhere in your home, in a diaper bag, in a car cupholder, or at the back of a pantry shelf, it needs your attention today.

What Exactly Is Being Recalled?

Which Products Are Included?

The recalled product is the Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy bottle, a 1.85-ounce plastic bottle with a rolling ball applicator on top. The recall covers four flavors sold in four corresponding bottle colors:

  • Blue raspberry (blue bottle)
  • Strawberry (red bottle)
  • Green apple (green bottle)
  • Pink lemonade (pink bottle)

Bottles were sold individually and in packs of three or 12. The recall was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and covers approximately 2.3 million units sold nationwide.

What this means for your family: If you purchased this candy in any pack size or flavor at any retailer, your bottle is included in this recall regardless of when you bought it.

How Do You Identify a Recalled Bottle?

The front label is your fastest identification tool. Look for:

  • The Ricky Joy logo
  • The words "EXTREME SOUR" and "SOUR CRUSH"
  • A green monster graphic
  • The flavor name printed on the label

The candy was manufactured by International Trade Imports LLC, doing business as The Ricky Joy Company.

SCRUNCHY MOM TIP: Do a quick check of your kids' candy stash, Halloween leftovers, party favor bags, and car snack supplies. These bottles are small and can easily get tucked into unexpected places.

Why Is the Roller Ball a Choking Hazard?

What Makes Small Parts So Dangerous?

The roller ball on the Sour Crush bottle can detach from the bottle under normal handling or use. Once detached, it becomes a small, round, smooth object. Small round objects are among the most dangerous choking hazards for young children because they conform to the shape of the airway and are difficult to dislodge. The CPSC's small parts ban exists for exactly this reason: the agency receives about 15 reports of choking deaths in children under age 3 each year, and small balls, marbles, and detachable toy parts are among the known hazards it names. Peer-reviewed research in the the International Journal of Pediatrics has questioned whether current product testing methods for small parts adequately capture real-world choking risk.

What this means for your family: A detached roller ball does not look like a choking hazard at first glance, which is exactly why it is so dangerous in a home with toddlers or crawling babies.

Are Toddlers Specifically at Risk?

Yes. Children under age 3 are at the highest risk. Toddlers in the oral exploration phase, which pediatric development research confirms typically extends well past age 2, will put small objects in their mouths without any awareness of danger. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that any object smaller than 1.75 inches in diameter be considered a choking hazard for young children.

What this means for your family: Even if your toddler did not open the bottle themselves, a detached roller ball on a counter, floor, or car seat is within reach and within danger.

What Should You Do Right Now?

Step 1: Stop Use Immediately

Do not allow children near any Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy bottle, even bottles that appear intact. The roller ball can detach without warning.

Step 2: Secure or Dispose of the Product

Place all recalled bottles out of reach of children immediately. Do not attempt to "test" whether the ball is loose by handling it near kids.

Step 3: Contact the Manufacturer for a Remedy

Reach out to International Trade Imports LLC (The Ricky Joy Company) for refund or replacement information. The CPSC recall announcement at cpsc.gov will have the most current contact details and remedy instructions. Retailers including Walmart and H-E-B have also pulled the product from shelves.

Start here this week: Check every bag, drawer, and snack stash in your home for this product, secure or dispose of it, and report it to the CPSC if your child was injured using the form at cpsc.gov.

Reducing Choking Hazard Exposure for Toddlers: A Practical Framework

Risk Category Common Examples Scrunchy Action Step
Recalled products Ricky Joy Sour Crush bottles Check cpsc.gov monthly for active recalls
Small round foods Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, blueberries Halve or quarter all round foods until age 4
Small toy parts Detachable pieces, button batteries Check age labeling; avoid "3+" toys with toddlers
Candy and hard foods Hard candies, gummies, large chunks Avoid hard candy entirely for children under 4
Household items Coins, bottle caps, pen lids Conduct a floor-level sweep of common play areas

Safer Snack and Candy Alternatives for Toddlers

The Sour Crush recall is also a good reminder that most candies marketed to young children contain synthetic dyes, added sugars, and small parts that make them inappropriate for toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding added sugar entirely for children under 2, and strong evidence supports limiting it significantly through age 3.

If you want to offer treats, here are options that skip the synthetic dyes, small detachable parts, and excess sugar:

  • Solely Fruit Jerky strips are made from single-ingredient fruit with no added sugar and no detachable pieces
  • YumEarth Organic Lollipops use fruit and vegetable extracts for color instead of synthetic dyes (appropriate for children old enough to have a lollipop safely, always with supervision)
  • Barnana Organic Chewy Banana Bites provide natural sweetness from fruit alone
  • Crispy Green Freeze-Dried Fruit offers a crunchy snack with no added sugar, no dye, and no choking-risk components

For babies and young toddlers still in the puree or early finger food stage, focus on whole food textures appropriate to their developmental readiness. A child should be able to gum and chew food effectively, not just suck on it, before advancing to any solid snack format.

FAQ

Q: My child may have swallowed the roller ball from a Sour Crush bottle. What do I do?

If you believe your child has swallowed a small object and is showing any signs of choking, difficulty breathing, coughing, gagging, or turning blue, call 911 immediately. If the child swallowed the object and appears fine, contact your pediatrician or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance. Report the incident to the CPSC at cpsc.gov.

Q: Can I return the candy to the store where I bought it?

Walmart and H-E-B have removed the product from shelves and are participating in the recall process. Contact your retailer's customer service department directly for return and refund options, or follow the remedy instructions posted on the official CPSC recall page at cpsc.gov for the most accurate guidance.

Q: Are there any Ricky Joy products that are NOT recalled?

The recall is specific to the Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy bottle in all four flavors and all pack sizes. If you have other Ricky Joy products, check the CPSC recall announcement at cpsc.gov for the exact product identifiers to confirm whether your item is included.

About the Author

Jenn Smith, RN BSN, is a registered nurse, mom, and co-founder of Scrunchy Living. She writes evidence-based guides to non-toxic living, pregnancy-safe products, and clean home practices for modern families.

From Scrunchy Living: The Non-Toxic Home Starter Kit ($75) replaces your household cleaners with one EWG Verified concentrate — quats-free, fragrance-free, and safe for pregnancy and babies. Includes a full year of ScrunchyAI, our ingredient-scanning tool for non-toxic families. Start your free 14-day trial →

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Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your child's pediatrician or a qualified healthcare provider before making any health-related decisions for your child. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.

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