18 hand sanitisers have been recalled. Brands include Lifebuoy, Guardian, Walch, and Cath Kidston

The Health Science Authority (HSA) has announced a wholesale-level recall of hand sanitisers. This is due to the detection of acetaldehyde and/or methanol at levels that are above the pharmaceutical pharmacopeia limit.

Short-term exposure to acetaldehyde can cause irritation to eyes, skin, and respiratory tract while repeated exposure to methanol vapour may cause inflammation of the eye, headaches, giddiness, insomnia, stomach disturbances, and visual failure.

The date of recall is from February to April 2021. The hand sanitisers that are affected are as follows:

1. Asepso™Professional Hand Sanitiser (Batch: B42M)
2. Cuticura Hand Sanitizer (all batches)
3. Epi KleenGel Hand Sanitizer Gel (all batches)
4. Guardian Lavender & Passion Flower Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser (Batch: 9K28DF)
5. Guardian Aloe & Korean-Mint Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser (Batch: 0D32DF)
6. Kundal Fresh Water Hand Sanitizer+ (Batch: BN227)
7. Sanitelle® Instant Hand Sanitizer Antiseptic Gel Kids (all batches)
8. Cath Kidston® Moisturising Hand Sanitiser (all batches)
9. 红月亮® Redmoon 抑菌免水净手凝胶 Bacteriostat Wash Free Hand Wash Gel (all batches)
10. We11 Daily Instant Hand Sanitiser (all batches)
11. Cool Day’s Peppermint Instant Hand Sanitizer (all batches)
12. Walch® Instant Hand Sanitizer (Batch: TG01)
13. TP 706 Hand Sanitiser (Exp: 10/03/2022)
14. Lifebuoy Instant Hand Sanitizer (Batch: OD13UL)
15. FairPrice Hand Sanitiser Lavender (Batch: 201251-001)
16. germ-X® Advanced Hand Sanitizer Original Scent (all batches)
17. Sanigen Gel Hand Refreshing Gel 600ml (all batches)
18. Yuri® Hand Gel Green Tea Extract (all batches)

This has been classified as a Class 2 recall by HSA, which is reserved for recalls of products with “issues that would not likely cause serious adverse health outcomes”.

The level of recall is classified as a “wholesale level” recall, which means that the affected products or batches are recalled from wholesale suppliers. Suppliers are to stop their supply of the specified batches of the product and return the remaining stocks to the company.

This is different from a “consumer level” recall where the products or batches are recalled from patients, consumers, wholesale suppliers, retail suppliers, hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies, or a “retail level” recall, where products or batches are recalled from retail suppliers, hospitals, clinics and pharmacies as well as wholesale suppliers.

You can find details of this announcement on the HSA website.