Colorful balloons at festive parties can bring a lively atmosphere, but behind the joy lies hidden dangers. On June 15, the Hong Kong Consumer Council announced that it had tested 35 samples from 19 latex balloon products. It found that more than 90 percent, or 32 samples, contained different types of suspected carcinogenic substances called “nitrosamines.”
Thirteen samples exceeded the total migration limit of nitrosamines set by European standards, with one Chinese package “对了DUILE” yellow balloon sample exceeding the limit by up to 6.8 times.
The Consumer Council recommends that consumers: Use an air pump to inflate balloons; avoid blowing them directly with their mouth
Wash hands before handling food after touching the balloons
Prevent young children from biting or chewing on balloons to reduce the chance of exposure to harmful substances. The supplier of “对了DUILE” (#19) said that after receiving the Consumer Council’s test report, they had immediately stopped selling related balloon products. June 15, 2023. (Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times)
Products Tested
The 19 brands tested are shown in numerical order from 1 to 10 on the top line and 11 to 19 on the lower line. On June 15, 2023. (Courtesy of the Consumer Council)
The Consumer Council referred to European toy safety standard EN71-12:2016 (ETSS). It used artificial saliva test solutions to extract nitrosamines and nitrites that may be dissolved out of the samples through saliva as a simulation. Then it tested the content of 13 nitrosamine compounds in the test solution to evaluate the degree to which each balloon sample released related substances. The test results showed that nearly 70 percent of models did not meet relevant ETSS and needed improvement urgently….