Cancer-causing benzene found in underarm sprays

WASHINGTON — Antiperspirant and deodorant body sprays have been found to contain elevated levels of the carcinogen benzene and should be recalled, an inde- pendent testing lab said in a petition filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration late Wednesday.

The sprays are the latest in a string of aerosol prod- ucts found to contain the cancer-causing chemical, includ- ing sunscreens and antifungals. Earlier this year, John- son & Johnson recalled certain aerosol sunscreen sprays under the brands Neutrogena and Aveeno. Beiersdorf AG recalled some Coppertone sunscreen sprays in Septem- ber. The next month, Bayer AG pulled certain Lotrimin and Tinactin sprays used for athlete’s foot and jock itch after tests showed some samples contained benzene.

The efforts to get the con- taminated products off of shelves came after Valisure, an independent testing lab in New Haven, Connecticut, alerted the FDA to its findings of benzene in sun care prod- ucts in May. Valisure followed up in recent months by testing 108 batches of antiperspirant and deodorant sprays from 30 brands and detected benzene in 59 batches at levels as much as triple the amount it found in sunscreens and detailed in the petition to the FDA.

Antiperspirant sprays from Procter & Gamble Co. brands Old Spice and Secret contained the highest levels of benzene. An antiperspirant spray from Walmart Inc.’s Equate brand and one from Unilever PLC’s Suave were also high on the list. Most of the sprays that Valisure found to contain benzene were meant only for under- arms, though the lab did find some benzene in a Victoria’s Secret & Co. spray deodorant meant to be used all over the body and a Summer’s Eve spray from Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc. meant for the vaginal area.

The companies and the FDA didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. P&G fell 0.7% at 9:43 a.m. in New York trading, and Unilever dropped 1.1% in London.