Since the beginning of the pandemic, practising good personal hygiene has become ever more important to protect ourselves from COVID-19.
Aside from face masks, many of us have made it customary to bring along some hand sanitiser as well. But not all sanitisers can guarantee safety, according to the latest hand sanitiser recall list released this year.
Earlier this year on 1 February, Singapore’s Health Science Authority (HSA) released a hand sanitiser recall list from February to April 2021. Find out whether you’ve been using any of these affected brands.
Why These Hand Sanitisers Were Recalled
Image source: iStock
Singapore’s HSA announced a wholesale recall of these hand sanitisers due to the detection of acetaldehyde and/or methanol at levels higher than the pharmaceutical pharmacopoeia limit.
The suppliers were then instructed to stop supplying specified batches of these hand sanitisers and to return the remaining stocks to the company.
Although, it does not necessarily mean that a product is completely unsafe or inefficacious when recalled.
“A recall can also be initiated to remove products with quality defects that does not impact safety or efficacy from the market so as to ensure that products registered in Singapore continue to meet the stringent regulatory standards stipulated by HSA,” the authority wrote in their statement.
For this hand sanitiser recall list, it was a Class 2 Recall which HSA explains is for “products with issues that would not likely cause serious adverse health outcomes.”
How Harmful Are Acetaldehyde And Methanol?
Here is how they can affect us and even our kids.
Acetaldehyde
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, short-term or acute exposure to acetaldehyde can lead to the following results:
Methanol
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state the following results for exposure to methanol:
- Irritation of the eyes
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Seizure
- Vomiting
- Stomach disturbances
- Visual disturbances
Image source: iStock
Hand Sanitiser Recall List By Singapore’s HSA
The following 18 hand sanitisers have been recalled by Singapore’s HSA from February to April of this year.
| Product name |
Batch |
| Asepso™ Professional Hand Sanitiser |
B42M |
| Cuticura Hand Sanitizer |
All batches |
| Epi KleenGel Hand Sanitizer Gel |
All batches |
| Guardian Lavender & Passion Flower Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser |
9K28DF |
| Guardian Aloe & Korean-Mint Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser |
0D32DF |
| Kundal Fresh Water Hand Sanitizer+ |
BN227 |
| Sanitelle® Instant Hand Sanitizer Antiseptic Gel Kids |
All batches |
| Cath Kidston® Moisturising Hand Sanitiser |
All batches |
| 红月亮® Redmoon 抑菌免水净手凝胶 Bacteriostat Wash Free Hand Wash Gel |
All batches |
| We11 Daily Instant Hand Sanitiser |
All batches |
| Cool Day’s Peppermint Instant Hand Sanitizer |
All batches |
| Walch® Instant Hand Sanitizer |
TG01 |
| TP 706 Hand Sanitiser |
Exp: 10/03/2022 |
| Lifebuoy Instant Hand Sanitizer |
OD13UL |
| FairPrice Hand Sanitiser Lavender |
201251-001 |
| germ-X® Advanced Hand Sanitizer Original Scent |
All batches |
| Sanigen Gel Hand Refreshing Gel 600ml |
All batches |
| Yuri® Hand Gel Green Tea Extract |
All batches |
ALSO READ:
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Safe Sanitisers For Children: Review Of 6 Best Hand Sanitisers For Kids In Singapore
