Two high-end baby bath products have been recalled because they contain excessive bacteria, which can cause infection.
The contamination of Balma-Baby Swiss Natural Baby Bath from Switzerland and NUK Hypoallergenic Mild Baby Shampoo with camomile and panthenol from Australia was found during tests by the Consumer Council.
The watchdog said yesterday that the Swiss product had 7,300 colony-forming units per gram and the Australian one had 30,000, which were respectively about 14 and 59 times higher than the hygiene limit for children's cosmetics of 500 CFU/g. The limit was set by the mainland and is followed in Hong Kong.
The two products were among 50 shower gels and shampoos for babies tested by the council.
The hygiene problem might have stemmed from the raw materials or from the manufacturing, storage and transport process, Philip Leung Kwong-hon, a member of the council's publicity and community relations committee, said.
Using the products on open wounds, near the eyes or genital areas could result in infection, especially for those suffering from eczema or other skin diseases. The more bacteria a product had, the more likely the baby would be infected, Leung said. The council reported the cases to the Customs and Excise Department, which ordered the recall.