You may have them in your cupboards. Maybe, you use them, still. Beware: they are dangerous, illegal, harmful… and are the subject of a recall or ban by the European sanitary authorities. Underneath, you may find all the cosmetic product targeted by the RAPEX alert system this week: a shower gel contaminated with bacteria and an antifungal lotion containing a prohibited ingredient.
Shower gel
Brand: unknown
Name: Children’s Bath & Shower gel Duck
Type: 3098301
Barcodes: 9002422105661; 9002422106804
• Country of origin: China
• Notifying country: Germany
Risk type: Microbiological
The product contains an excessive amount of aerobic mesophilic bacteria (measured values up to: 260 000 cfu/g) among which Burkholderia cepacia.
Burkholderia cepacia is resistant to antibiotics and if ingested, inhaled or touched by immunocompromised users or persons suffering cystic fibrosis, could lead to systemic infection or be fatal.
The product does not comply with the Cosmetic Products Regulation.
Measures taken by economic operators: destruction of the product, recall of the product from end users, warning consumers of the risks, withdrawal of the product from the market (by retailer)
Anti-fungal spray
Brand: Evterpа
Name: Anti-fungal lotion on the skin
Batch number: EV01052018
• Country of origin: Bulgaria
• Notifying country: Bulgaria
Risk type: chemical
According to the ingredients list and product information file, the product contains boric acid (declared value: 0.05%), which releases boron.
Ingestion or contact with an excessive quantity of boron may harm the health by damaging the reproductive system or the unborn child.
Boric acid is prohibited in cosmetics and is listed in Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation.
The product does not comply with the Cosmetic Products Regulation.
Measures taken by economic operators: destruction of the product (by manufacturer)
Source
• Rapid Alert System - Weekly Reports, Report 41, European Commission, October 10, 2019