Beiersdorf, the parent company of NIVEA, has clarified that its NIVEA Black & White Invisible Roll-On Deodorant with batch number 93529610, is not available for sale in Nigeria.
Beiersdorf stated this in a statement on Saturday, responding to a safety alert issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on the product.
On October 31, the NAFDAC alerted Nigerians to the recall of the product by the European Union’s (EU) rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products (RAPEX) in Brussels.
The agency had earlier stated that Nivea products contain 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA), stating that a chemical prohibited in cosmetics products due to its ability to cause harm to the reproductive system, impairs the health of an unborn child as well as skin irritation and burns to users.
NAFDAC said the chemical, BMHCA, is prohibited in cosmetic products because it could trigger skin irritation and also affect the reproductive health of its users or an unborn child.