Unilever recalls popular brands of dry shampoo including Dove, over cancer risk

Digital Desk: Unilever Plc recalled popular brands of aerosol dry shampoo, including Dove, after discovering they were contaminated with benzene, a substance that can lead to cancer. According to a notice published on the Food and Drug Administration website on Friday, the recall extends to brands including Nexxus, Suave, Tresemmé, and Tigi, which manufactures the dry shampoos Rockaholic and Bed Head.

The goods that Unilever is recalling were produced before October 2021. The action calls into question the safety of aerosols in personal care products once more.

Aerosol sunscreens like Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena, Edgewell Personal Care Co.'s Banana Boat, and Beiersdorf AG's Coppertone, as well as spray-on deodorants like Procter & Gamble Co.'s Secret and Old Spice and Unilever's Suave, have all been removed from store shelves over the previous 15 months. Beginning in May 2021, Valisure, a New Haven, Connecticut-based analytical lab, discovered benzene in several items, which led to the recalls.

Spray-on dry shampoo has already been mentioned as a potential issue. Following Valisure's findings, P&G examined every aerosol product in its lineup. The business then issued a benzene contamination recall for its Pantene and Herbal Essences dry shampoos in December.

We are actively looking into this matter, according to Valisure Chief Executive Officer David Light. "Given what we've seen, it regrettably makes reasonable that additional consumer product categories, including aerosol dry shampoos, could be substantially harmed by benzene contamination."

The propellants used to spray the personal care items from the cans in aerosols appear to be the main source of the issue. This, according to Unilever, was the reason for the recall of dry shampoo. The company stated it was recalling the products out of an excess of caution but did not specify how much benzene was found in the products.

The FDA stated that "daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products would not be expected to create adverse health implications" at the levels discovered in testing. However, the organisation also noted that benzene exposure can cause leukaemia and other blood malignancies.

Propane and butane, which are petroleum distillates produced by refining crude oil, are frequently included in spray-on personal care products like dry shampoo. A recognised petroleum product contaminant is benzene. Propellers are a known potential source of benzene contamination, according to the FDA.

The FDA has not established benzene limits for cosmetics like dry shampoo, but it has stated that the items shouldn't include "any toxic or detrimental ingredient."