INTERNATIONAL. Of the eight shampoos which Saudi authorities have declared as tainted with potentially-dangerous chemical dioxin, one was found on the shelves of Doha shops as of yesterday.
Carcinogenic dioxin 1.4 was found in some of the cosmetics in a random survey of 84 samples of imported shampoos in the local Saudi market, a Riyadh-based report said.
“The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has found about eight brands of shampoos contaminated with the carcinogenic dioxin 1.4. This chemical can cause cancer and particularly children are at risk,” the authority said in an advisory, which also included pictures of the products, on Friday.
The SFDA has asked the authorities to confiscate the shampoos and ban their import.
The chief of Qatar General Organisation for Standards and Metrology, Mohamed bin Saif al-Kuwari, said his organisation was following up the matter and contacting Saudi authorities to find out details about the test results.
“We will take action after we receive the required information,” he said.
The products in question include: Corpore Sano Baby Shampoo (made in Spain), Black Seed Shampoo & Conditioner for all hair type (South Africa), LG Double Rich Anti-dandruff for greasy hair type (Korea), Himalaya Herbals Anti-dandruff shampoo for normal hair (India), ICare Shampoo with nutritive fruit complex for dry and damaged hair (Vietnam), Nature Care Mud Shampoo for damaged hair (Jordan) and two samples of Sehat Sedr Shampoo for all hair type (Iran).
The herbal anti-dandruff shampoo, made by Bangalore-based Himalaya Drug Co was yesterday available at all major hypermarkets and other outlets in Doha.
Except for ‘parfum’, the ingredients listed on the pack came from herbs: rosemary, sandalwood tree, ushira, banyan tree, lemon and tea tree oil.
The herbal care giant operating since 1930s has a wide range of products, which have been available in Qatar for five years. Additionally, the herbal medicines manufactured by the company are available at various drugstores in the country.
An official of the local distributor of Himalaya said in an interview for Gulf Times: “Himalaya products have been tested by labs of international standard in the US and elsewhere and found to be safe. Unfortunately, it being the weekend in India, a comment from the manufacturer will be available only by Monday.”
Another product, implicated by the SFDA, the LG’s Double Rich shampoo was available in Qatar but it had been phased out, according to the LG distributor in Qatar.
“The company in Korea discontinued exporting the product amidst a growing home demand since the end of 2006,” he said. “I wonder how they found it in Saudi when the product is no more shipped from Korea since the end of 2006,” he added.
The SFDA report also cited the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the US that calls dioxin and its related compounds (DLCs) toxic to human health.
The major sources of dioxin are our own diet. Since the chemical is fat-soluble, it bio-accumulates, climbing up the food chain.
Even though the US FDA constantly monitors the ratio of dioxin in cosmetics and other food items, it doesn’t have a specific cap on how much of it is hazardous.
A 197-page report by the National Research Council of the National Academies, US in 2006 entitled ‘Health Risks from Dioxin and Related Compounds’ that evaluated EPA’s earlier reassessment said: “Studies suggest that [those] exposed occupationally to dioxin experience an increased risk of developing a potentially disfiguring skin lesion, liver disease, and possibly cancer.
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