Unilever Pull Products Of Dry Shamloo Dove To Tresemm\'e In The US And Canada: Ada Kandungan Benzena, Produced Before October 2021

JAKARTA - Unilever made withdrawals of more than a dozen dry shampoo products sold in the United States and Canada, regarding the possible presence of benzene, a chemical that can cause cancer.

Affected products were produced before October 2021, the company said and came from several different brands owned by Unilever, including Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI and TRESemm\'e.

The voluntary recall of certain products, identified by the production code, applies in the United States and Canada. United States Unilever said in a statement they had not received reports of 'bad events' from customers.

"Unilever AS withdrew these products because they are very careful," the company said, adding that retailers had been ordered to withdraw products pulled from the shelves, reported by The New York Times Oct. 26.

Unilever announced the recall, after an internal investigation identified the propellant in aerosol cans as a source of contamination, and had been working with its suppliers to address the issue, citing CNET.

This dry shampoo withdrawal is at least the sixth recall this year involving benzene, according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data. The recall of previous products included Disney-themed hand sanitizer for The Mandalorian, Banana Boat sunscreen and Suave spray deodorant.

Benzena, a chemical used to manufacture many industrial products such as nylon and plastic, was also released into the air through cigarette smoke and coal burning, oil and gasoline, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some exposures through inhalation are unavoidable in everyday life. However, overlong contact with high-level chemicals causes cells to "not work properly," reducing a person's number of red blood cells and bringing disaster to the immune system, the public health agency said.

Benzena can also be digested and absorbed by the skin, according to the FDA. Long-term exposures can cause organization, blood cell cancer, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. It can also endanger the reproductive organs of women, the agency said.