Beware of strange odor coming from Ziploc Freezer bags

(WXYZ) - Before you put away your Thanksgiving leftovers, you may want to take a quick sniff of your Ziploc storage bag.

Some people have complained that there's a strange odor coming from Ziploc Freezer bags and it's leaving their food with a bad smell and taste.

The parent company of Ziploc, SC Johnson, is aware of the odor and says there is an explanation.

A spokesperson referred to the smell as the "Fresh Bag Scent."

The spokesperson tells 7 Action News, under normal circumstances, Ziploc produces the bags, then holds them for six to 12 weeks before shipping them to stores. This allows the "Fresh Bag Scent" to dissipate, the company says.

This season, there has been an unusually high demand for Ziploc Freezer bags, forcing the company to ship the bags before the ideal 12-week waiting period in order to keep inventory on store shelves, the company said. Because of this, some boxes of bags may have a stronger than normal "Fresh Bag Scent."

The company is not planning to recall the products because there is no health risk linked to the odor, according to a spokesperson.

The consumer hotline is informing customers they should let their bags air out for at least two weeks before using them if their bags have a strong odor.

SC Johnson would not disclose how many bags may be affected or to which stores these bags were shipped, but the company did say large boxes of Ziploc Freezer bags that were sold at warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's Club have a greater chance of containing a stronger "Fresh Bag Scent."

You can read the full statement from SC Johnson below:

As a family company, nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the families who use SC Johnson products. Due to increased demand for Ziploc® Brand bags, we have been working extra hard to keep inventory on store shelves. Normally there are several weeks between the date of manufacture and when the product actually reaches the store shelf.  During that time, any "fresh bag scent" left from the manufacturing process usually dissipates. Due to accelerated production, some of our bags reached the store shelves quicker than the typical time which is why the fresh bag scent may be stronger.

There is no health issue associated with this scent and there is no need to recall the bags. If consumers have Ziploc bags that have the fresh bag scent, we suggest they let the bags sit longer, until the smell goes away, before using.

 We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused our consumers. If consumers have questions about Ziploc bags, they can contact the SC Johnson consumer helpline at 800-494-4855.