THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, January 2, 1997             TAG: 9701020078
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                        LENGTH:   43 lines

MATTEL: TESTS FAILED TO DISCOVER THAT DOLLS COULD CHEW KIDS' HAIR

A corps of toy company engineers and safety experts studied a ``food''-eating doll before it went on the market, but they never found what at least 35 children have discovered: It can munch on hair and little fingers.

Mattel Inc. announced Tuesday it was putting warning labels on Cabbage Patch Snacktime Kids doll packages now in stores to alert parents that the doll's chewing mouth can snag hair or fingers and that removing the doll's backpack will stop the mechanism.

The toy has battery-powered, mechanical jaws that move when it is fed plastic food. But federal consumer protection officials said that in at least two incidents the doll clamped on fingers of children and in 33 other incidents it chomped on hair and wouldn't let go.

No children have required medical attention in any of these incidents, said Lisa McKendall, a Mattel spokeswoman.

``The product is still a safe product,'' McKendall said by phone from Mattel's El Segundo, Calif., headquarters. ``It passes all of the safety standards.''

McKendall said Mattel conducted safety tests on the doll before it went on the market.

``We have a product integrity department that is filled with engineers and people who specialize in safety and durability,'' McKendall said. But when asked if the experts detected the risk of the doll chewing on hair or fingers, she said ``No.''

Officials at Mattel and the Consumer Product Safety Commission said taking off the doll's backpack turns off a switch that controls the chewing.

The mechanism can be disabled permanently by removing the doll's batteries, which are in the body of the toy.

Rick Frost, a commission spokesman, said the CPSC still was investigating the eating doll and could take further action if deemed appropriate.

He said that since Mattel was posting warning labels it was possible that no other action will be required.

``A recall is still a possibility,'' Frost said. MEMO: Consumers with questions may call Mattel at 1-800-524-TOYS.

KEYWORDS: CABBAGE PATCH DOLL