DUBAI: Himalaya and Sehat, two popular brands of shampoos from India and Iran, were withdrawn from the local market by municipal officials as they were found to be containing carcinogenic agents.
Laboratory tests of samples found that the shampoos contained high percentage of Dioxane 1.4, which is carcinogenic if used on a long-term basis.
Chinese brands Roushan, Gornia and Cooler are other products that were removed.
The Himalaya brand had six shampoos, including a shampoo for babies, withdrawn while Sehat had eight products removed.
Reda Salman, director of Public Health and Safety Department of Dubai Municipality, said the municipality has written to the Secretariat General of UAE Municipalities and other concerned authorities in the country to take necessary action with regard to these products in other parts of the country. They were informed of the names, brands, batch number, and country of origin of these shampoos.
“We have since taken these shampoos off the shelves in the local market and have taken necessary measures to prevent such products from entering the country. Distribution agents of these brands have also been notified,” said Salman.
He added that Dubai Municipality conducts periodic laboratory tests on samples of all products that enter the emirate’s market and takes necessary measures to stop all products that use banned materials. In addition, samples from shops in the local market are also being taken for periodic lab tests to make sure that only safe products are available.
