Public Health England today issued a product recall notice for the item sold in Sainsbury’s and Matalan stores – as it contains a high level of nickel meaning it will cause an allergic reaction
An urgent warning has been issued for a piece of jewellery that may be nesting in many UK Christmas stockings. Public Health England sparked a nation-wide alert on December 24 with a product recall for a Beeline Belly Bar sold at Sainsbury’s and Matalan.
The alert raises concerns about an allergy risk due to high levels of nickel content, which PHE indicates could trigger serious allergic reactions. Detailing the concern, PHE stated, “The product presents a serious chemical risk as elevated levels of nickel were found.”
Describing the jewellery, the notice said: “The product is body jewellery in the form of a belly bar. The belly bar has a pendant shaped like a daisy attached to it.”
It also emphasized the health implications by adding, “The product presents a chemical risk as elevated levels of nickel were found. Nickel is a skin sensitiser and can cause allergic reactions if present in articles that come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin.”
Nickel health risks:
- Toxic by inhalation, ingestion and skin contact
- Short-term inhalation causes sore throat and hoarseness
- Ingestion may lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain Skin exposure can cause irritation and allergic contact dermatitis
- Long-term inhalation may cause asthma, runny nose and inflammation of the sinuses
- Nickel carbonyl and soluble nickel salts are toxic to the unborn child
- Nickel compounds can cause cancer in humans
- Elemental nickel is a possible human carcinogen
For those concerned about the nickel health risks and seeking a refund, Beeline Jewellery offers more information on their website at https://www.beeline-group.com/en.
