The FDA has informed Congress that it found issues such as illegal ingredients and contamination in cosmetics imported from 181 countries last year. Most of the 29,000 foreign countries from which the cosmetics originated have not registered with the FDA, since it is not a requirement. By volume, cosmetics imports are a large part of imports that the FDA inspects; however, the Agency only has the equivalent of 6 full-time inspectors to monitor the 3 million shipments of cosmetics that come into the US each year. These cosmetics include lipsticks, eyeliners, face powders and tattoo inks. Although the FDA is requesting that Congress provide more resources and authority to monitor cosmetics shipments, the Agency stated that they are “confident” that the vast majority of cosmetics sold in the US, even if imported, are safe.

Last year, the FDA inspected 9,781, or 0.3%, of the three million cosmetics shipments, based on companies that have had issues with the Agency previously. Of those inspections, 15% resulted in “adverse findings.” Lab tests were even fewer and farther between, with only 364 shipments being inspected in a lab last year. Of those, 20% led to adverse findings, including bacterial contamination, illegal color additives and unsafe chemicals, such as mercury. Based on adverse findings, approximately 2,000 shipments are refused entry into the US per year, with many of those products coming from France, Canada, China, India and South Korea.

Source: The New York Times