UAE talcum powder banned in Saudi Arabia

A UAE-manufactured talcum powder brand has been pulled off the shelves in Saudi Arabia for posing as a health risk to consumers.

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The Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) announced that it has withdrawn the Dahn Oudh Powder produced by the UAE-based company Ajmal Perfume.

The SFDA carried out a number of laboratory tests and discovered that batch No. 7867046 A, which expired on August 2021, indicated that the talcum powder contained a high percentage of bacteria that exceeded the limit set in the Safety and Personal Care Safety Regulations specified by the SFDA.

In a statement to Gulf News, Abdullah Ajmal, deputy chief operations officer of Ajmal Perfumes, said:

“Ajmal management would like to reassure its customers that it has recalled the entire batch in question, putting their safety as its top priority; we have also tested the batch mentioned in the SFDA report by two international independent laboratories and the results have concluded that the product is safe and compliant with health and safety regulations.”

The drug authority advised consumers not to use the product and to dispose of their samples immediately, and stressed the importance of always purchasing products from reliable sources in order to track the origin of imported goods.

In a statement, the SFDA said:

“[We are] carrying out the necessary procedures, in coordination with the competent authorities, to follow up on the withdrawal of the product from the Saudi market and prevent it from being imported into the country. Legal action will be taken against violators who continue to sell and distribute the product.”

Talcum powder is made from talc, a mineral made up mainly of the elements magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. As a powder, it absorbs moisture well and helps cut down on friction, making it useful for keeping skin dry and helping to prevent rashes.

According to the American Cancer Society, the product is widely used in cosmetic products such as baby powder and adult body and facial powders, as well as in a number of other consumer products.

In its natural form, some talc contains asbestos, a substance known to cause cancers in and around the lungs when inhaled.