Micro-Dome Food Preserver
CPSC Recall #92041 — January 7, 1992
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 92041 |
| Recall Date | January 7, 1992 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, Refund |
| Units Affected | 18,600 |
Product
Micro-Dome Food Preserver
Description
Washington, DC--The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with Micro-Dome of San Ramon, CA, had warned consumers of certain safety hazards associated with the use of the "Micro-Dome Food Preserver" manufactured by Micro-Dome and sold and distributed to consumers after August 1987. The CPSC has also urged consumers to destroy all food that has been preserved using a Micro-Dome Food Preserver. Consumers who sent in warranty registration cards should have received materials explaining how to return the product for a $50 rebate. However, the rebate program is no longer available and the company may be out of business. Do not use these products. Please discard or destroy these products The Micro-Dome Food Preserver is used in microwave ovens to preserve fruits, vegetables and prepared dishes. The appliance is a plastic container that can process one standard metal lidded canning jar at a time. Generally priced at $50, approximately 18,600 units were sold to customers. Micro-Dome informed the Commission that the top of the plastic container may blow off in the microwave if the vent stem or safety release becomes plugged. The pressurized plastic container may also explode during or after removal from the microwave, or if the container is hit or dropped. Furthermore, the plastic container may also crack and/or develop lines (called crazing) that could increase the risk of explosion. Explosion of a pressurized Micro-Dome containing hot water and food could cause severe injuries such as blindness and burns from flying fragments and liquids. Micro-Dome reported 29 incidents involving the cracking and/or crazing of the plastic container, eight incidents of the top blowing off, and four incidents of the vent being plugged without the blow plug releasing. One injury was reported involving a user who sustained minor burns when the top of the container blew off. The CPSC recommends that consumers not use the Micro-Dome Food Preserver. It should be returned to Micro- Dome for the rebate or destroyed and disposed of in such a manner that it cannot be used in the future. CPSC is also concerned about possible food poisoning in certain foods prepared using the Micro-Dome Microwave Food Preserver. While CPSC is unaware of any incidents of food poisoning, it is concerned that the product and its accompanying recipe and instruction booklet do not adequately ensure the safety of certain canned foods. In addition to possibly failing to kill bacteria while the food in the Micro-Dome is cooked in a microwave oven, food also can be contaminated after cooking. Eating improperly preserved food can cause serious illness such as botulism. The toxin which causes botulism is the most potent natural poison in the world. Even one taste could be fatal. The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has warned that the Micro-Dome needs more extensive testing. There are some problems. According to University of California researchers the Micro-Dome canning process was not successful. Bacteria survived. Micro- Dome denies there is a food poisoning problem. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this warning as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.
Hazard
Micro-Dome informed the Commission that the top of the plastic container may blow off in the microwave if the vent stem or safety release becomes plugged. The pressurized plastic container may also explode during or after removal from the microwave, or if the container is hit or dropped. Furthermore, the plastic container may also crack and/or develop lines (called crazing) that could increase the risk of explosion. Explosion of a pressurized Micro-Dome containing hot water and food could cause severe injuries such as blindness and burns from flying fragments and liquids.
Incidents & Injuries
Micro-Dome reported 29 incidents involving the cracking and/or crazing of the plastic container, eight incidents of the top blowing off, and four incidents of the vent being plugged without the blow plug releasing. One injury was reported involving a user who sustained minor burns when the top of the container blew off.
Remedy Instructions
The CPSC urges consumers to destroy all food that has been preserved using a Micro-Dome Food Preserver, and to call 1-800-736-2330 for instructions on how to receive a $50 rebate for returning the food preserver.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, Refund at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Dispose, Refund) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.