Energizer’s new coin batteries won’t cause ingestion burns if swallowed

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FollowSee All NewsEnergizer’s new coin batteries won’t cause ingestion burns if swallowedThe new Ultimate Child Shield batteries also dye a child’s mouth blue indicating a battery may have been swallowed. The new Ultimate Child Shield batteries also dye a child’s mouth blue indicating a battery may have been swallowed. by Andrew Liszewski Andrew LiszewskiSenior Reporter, NewsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Technical Details

FollowSee All by Andrew LiszewskiMay 6, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. The safer coin batteries are available in 2032, 2025, and 2016 varieties.

Image: Energizer Andrew Liszewski Andrew LiszewskiPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by Andrew Liszewski is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Energizer has announced a new line of lithium coin batteries it claims are the world’s first to eliminate the risk of ingestion burns if swallowed.

Its Ultimate Child Shield line includes three sizes available starting today – 2032, 2025, and 2016 – that are commonly used in devices like remotes, wearables, and trackers such as Apple’s AirTags. Most swallowed batteries pass right through the body’s digestive system without causing any harm. But if one gets stuck in the esophagus there’s a risk of it being more than a choking hazard.

Industry Implications

When the battery makes contact with saliva it can generate an electrical current, resulting in chemical reactions causing alkaline tissue burns that can result in life-threatening injuries in just a few hours. The batteries come in child-resistant packaging as an added safety layer. Image: EnergizerToday’s announcement doesn’t go into specifics about how Energizer’s new Ultimate Child Shield line prevents swallowed batteries from generating currents and the subsequent dangerous chemical reactions, but it works alongside a few other safety measures already available on other Energizer batteries.

In addition to child-resistant packaging, the coin batteries are covered in a bitterant (similar to what’s on Nintendo Switch cartridges) to deter ingestion, and a food-grade dye that turns the mouth blue when it comes in contact with saliva indicating a battery may have been swallowed.

This advance offers important signals about the future of the sector, and the tech world is watching closely.