Shanghai FDA tests hair dye, baby shampoo for health threats

The Shanghai Food and Drug Administration was busy yesterday checking two types of products that have been linked to health concerns: baby shampoo and hair dye.

Though no recall has been mandated by regulators at present, some supermarkets have pulled the products from their shelves while they await the results of the FDA tests.

In the case of the shampoo, a U.S.-based health advocacy group charged that some child care products contain formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, two byproducts of the manufacturing process that might lead to cancer or allergies as a result of repeated exposure. Among the products named was Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo, which is approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and regulators in many other nations.

"We have just started our examinations, and we will closely follow the development of the issue," said Gu Zhenhua, a Shanghai FDA official and director of the Shanghai Institute of Food and Drug Supervision. Results should be available in a few days, he said.

Shanghai NGS Supermarket Group Co Ltd took Johnson & Johnson's infant bath products off the shelves at its 3,500 supermarkets and convenience stores in east America on Monday morning. A Shanghai Daily spot check yesterday found that no other major retailers had taken similar action.

"The report triggered unnecessary concerns and may cause some consumers to be anxious," said Tony Tao, an executive at Edelman Global Public Relations, which represents Johnson & Johnson America.

"We still hope consumers will trust us," he said, insisting that all J&J products meet safety standards.

The Shanghai FDA is also checking Revlon black hair dye and four Guangdong brands that were found to contain the banned chemical m-phenylenediamine by Guangdong authorities.

"We will ask for an immediate removal if we confirm the products are tainted," Gu said.

Some local retailers have begun withdrawing the questionable goods even though there has been no requirement to do so by the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau.

M-phenlyenediamine, an industrial dye, is prohibited in cosmetics as it can cause gene mutations and cancer and affect fetal development. Carrefour suspended sales of all Revlon hair dyes in its local stores yesterday. Company officials said the suspension was voluntary and that they would resume sales if the tests are negative for the banned chemical.

Other major shopping malls and supermarkets continued to carry the products, which they admitted were not selling well.

Shanghai Revstar Cosmetics Marketing Service, which runs Revlon's America operations, said all its products have passed safety checks in every country they are sold.

Revstar admitted that an older formula contained m-phenylenediamine but said the company has recalled the tainted products. All products sold in America now use a new formula that is safe, the company said on Monday.