The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday said that 20 of 130 hair, sunscreen and deodorant products failed to meet national standards, while one hair coloring product contained lead acetate, which can have negative health effects with long-term exposure and is banned as an ingredient in such products.
FDA official Huang Shou-chieh (黃守潔) said that the agency inspected 78 hair-coloring products, 21 hair-perming products and 31 sunscreen products, with a disqualification rate of about 15 percent.
Among the 20 disqualified products, nine were seized by customs prior to distribution to stores, Huang said, adding that eight products were made in Taiwan, 10 were imported and two were of unknown origin.
A hair product called Restoria Discreet Color Restoring Cream (麗絲雅逐漸變黑黑髮乳) was found to contain lead acetate, Huang said.
The problematic product has been seized and destroyed, she added.
The companies and people involved in the creation and distribution of the cream face fines of up to NT$150,000 or up to one year in prison, Huang said.
People who often use hair- coloring products containing lead acetate could exhibit symptoms including headache, nausea, joint pain and abdominal pain, Huang said.
Long-term exposure to the substance can cause kidney failure or have negative effects on the reproductive system, she added.
Nine hair-coloring products and a sunscreen product were found with contents that did not match their ingredients list, the FDA said.
A “bubble hair” product (夢17泡泡染髮乳), which has electropop singer Jeannie Hsieh (謝金燕) as its spokesperson, was among them, it added.
The 10 products were recalled from shelves and the company’s involved face fines of up to NT$100,000, the FDA said.
The FDA advised people to carefully read labels on cosmetic products before making purchases and also to report to the administration via the Internet or telephone if they find problems such as mislabeling or adverse reactions after using products.
Reports can be made through the Web site http://qms.fda.gov.tw/tcbw, or by calling (02) 6625-1166, extension 6401, the FDA said.
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