Indian shampoo passes initial test for dioxin
Originally published in Gulf Times on January 9, 2009
THE initial testing being conducted in-house by the India-based Himalaya Drug Company on its anti-dandruff shampoo (normal hair type) has turned out negative for dioxin, a chemical, representative of the local distributor said yesterday quoting officials of the company.
According to him, a team of officials from the herbal health care giant were in Doha on Wednesday and told the distributor that their “own findings so far show no signs of chemical toxin 1,4 dioxan”.
The shampoo was voluntarily withdrawn by retailers across Qatar on January 4, following a report by Gulf Times, based on a public advisory posted by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) last Friday saying it had found dioxin 1,4 in eight different brands of imported shampoos out of a sample of 84 products it picked from the local market as part of a regular monitoring campaign.
Following the report, Qatari authorities also took samples from the local market and have proceeded to get them tested accordingly.
Out of eight shampoos, only Himalaya’s anti-dandruff (normal hair type, 400ml) was found in the Qatari market.
“The company (Himalaya) is testing all the last three batches of the particular product and samples have been sent to accredited labs in Europe for further testing,” the local distributor added quoting the Himalaya team that was present in Qatar.
The duo from Bangalore also visited Saudi Arabia. Himalaya Company had earlier said they will share the results of their own in-house tests with the Saudi authorities.
“They told me that the Qatari authorities were surprised themselves as to how a product of such reputation could be tainted with toxic chemicals,” the distributor noted.
The distributor for Himalaya Drug Company products in Qatar has thus far not received any official intimation by the authorities regarding the matter, and neither have the retailers.
Meanwhile, a consumer of the implicated shampoo yesterday said he has thrown away whatever was left in his shampoo pack and continued to wait for the results.
“I will switch back to it once the product is cleared,” he added.
The SFDA, additionally, has also asked the Saudi authorities to confiscate the shampoos and ban their import into the country.
Dioxin and its related compounds (DLCs) have been proven to be able to cause cancer and other health risks.
As Published
