Stoffen in babyproducten vergroten risico op contactallergie*
Volgens Spaanse wetenschappers worden in babyproducten nog altijd vijftien van de meest bekende parfum allergenen gebruikt, soms zelfs in hoge concentraties. De vijftien stoffen staan op de lijst van 26 allergenen in de CosmeticsDirective, omdat ze een verhoogd risico op contact eczeem geven. Bij verschillende producten zijn de hoeveelheden zodanig hoog dat ze volgens de richtlijnen op de verpakking vermeld zouden moeten worden.
Maria Llompart van de Universiteit van Santiago de Compostela is van mening dat baby’s extra risico lopen omdat ze relatief lang in badwater zitten en het water tijdens het spelen ook binnenkrijgen. Ze pleit ervoor dat de wetgeving voor parfumstoffen nog strenger wordt voor kinderen onder de drie jaar.
Ook de Engelse handelsorganisatie voor de cosmetica-industrie, de CTPA, deelt haar mening dat er zorgvuldiger naar de veiligheidstesten voor cosmetica gekeken moet worden.
Fragrance allergen levels in baby bathwater of ‘special concern’, say scientists
The levels of fragrance allergens in baby bathwater are of ‘special concern’ according to Spanish researchers who have developed a method to test the presence of the compounds.
Fifteen of the most common fragrance allergens were found to be present in two or more of the samples, some at ‘high concentrations’, according to the study published in the current issue of Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.
The fifteen substances are part of a list of twenty-six in the Cosmetics Directive that are thought to pose potential contact allergy risks.
Under the Directive products containing these ingredients in concentrations higher than 0.01 per cent in rinse off products and 0.001 per cent in leave on products must have the presence of such potential allergens marked on their label.
According to the researchers, led by Maria Llompart at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, some of these ingredients were found in ‘high concentrations’ of more than 100ng per millilitre in baby bathwater samples.
As babies can spend a relatively long time playing in the bathwater and exposure pathways are multiple (water is often ingested whether intentional or not), Llompart and her team said the presence and levels of the fragrance allergens were a matter of concern.
Llompart, who is an analytical chemist, told CosmeticsDesign that she thought the cosmetics industry should try to limit the use and concentration of the chemicals in baby products.
“Taking into account the opinion and the research of other specialists in this matter, I think that the EU Directive should be more restrictive regarding the use of these and other cosmetic ingredients, especially in the products devoted to babies and children,” she said.
(Juli
2009)
