US regulators say they’re taking the issue seriously. Reports of contaminated items keep coming
  • pelespirit@sh.itjust.works
    23·
    2 days ago

    But an internal FDA document showed the agency classified the benzene levels in Johnson & Johnson sunscreens as “life threatening.” The agency didn’t share that information with consumers at the time. The document came to light through a public records request.

    Federal law doesn’t give the agency power to force a recall. Instead, companies use their own discretion to decide when to pull contaminated products off shelves.

    After Valisure discovered benzene in widely used benzoyl peroxide acne products like Proactiv and Clearasil in March, the FDA and consumer-goods makers said the lab didn’t test the products in real-world conditions. Valisure has said its testing meets international standards and it gets its test results checked by another lab.

    • reddig33@lemmy.world
      42·
      2 days ago

      Where is all the benzene coming from? It’s not an actual ingredient in these products.

      • Is it purposeful adulteration?
      • A byproduct of another ingredient breaking down into benzene?
      • Something used to clean the manufacturing or packaging equipment?
      • credo@lemmy.world
        3·
        2 days ago

        It seems like a stretch to ask people to try reading the article, but it’s in the second paragraph:

        They had no way of knowing the gas, derived from fossil fuel, wasn’t properly purified and contaminated the sunscreen with benzene

        • reddig33@lemmy.world
          3·
          2 days ago

          Thanks. Last two times I’d read about this the articles didn’t include any info about where the benzene was coming from. I guess they finally figured it out. Neutragena had a recall last time this happened. And know that I’ve read the article I can see that’s mentioned too.