Taiwan has detected banned Sudan red dyes in cosmetics for the first time, prompting 14 local and foreign companies to recall affected products and suspend their sales.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday said it learned late last month that some Chinese-made cosmetics might contain the banned dyes, tracing them to the source, raw materials supplied by Singapore-based Campo Research Pte Ltd.
Dermatologists warned that the dyes are potentially carcinogenic. Accidental ingestion from lip products poses the highest risk, though external-use cosmetics should not contain banned substances.
Photo courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration
On Nov. 4, the FDA notified domestic manufacturers and importers to check raw material sources and step up quality control, while it began random checks of suspected Chinese products from online platforms.
Similar contamination was later confirmed in a makeup remover by Chinese company Kimtrue and in a lip oil by Taiwanese company Greenvines. Both companies ordered the removal of their products from sales platforms immediately.
On Wednesday, the FDA inspected Taiwanese importer Eho Co and seized five batches of raw materials from Campo Research, three of which were confirmed the next day to contain Sudan IV.
The contaminated materials had been distributed to 14 companies, including Shanghai Li Rou Economic Development Co, O’right Inc and Greenvines, according to the agency.
The FDA has since required all affected companies to complete a self-inspection within 48 hours, report products using the problematic raw materials, and remove them from sale until safety is confirmed.
Under the Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act (化妝品衛生安全管理法), using banned dyes can result in fines ranging from NT$20,000 to NT$5 million (US$636 to US$159,083). Products found non-compliant must be recalled and destroyed.
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