Recall issued for health supplements after chemical detected

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has issued a recall for a batch of urinary tract health supplements due to the presence of a potentially dangerous chemical.

The TGA, and SFI Australasia, have called for users of Ellura capsules to check their boxes' batch numbers.

Any from the affected batch, N0121301, should be returned to the place of purchase for a refund.

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People are also advised to take no capsules from the batch, which was first on Australian shelves from July 1 last year.

The TGA warned that the batch could contain ethylene oxide, an artificial chemical that can be used in the manufacture of capsule shells and then be present in very small quantities in the finished medicine.

Australian regulations limit residual ethylene oxide in pharmaceutical products to 0.1 parts per million.

But SFI Australasia identified 170 parts per million in the recalled batch.

Health concerns have been identified when people are exposed to ethylene oxide over prolonged periods.

Hazards include gastric carcinoma and mutagenic and reproductive toxicity.

However, for people following the recommended dosage of Ellura capsules, the risk posed by ethylene oxide exposure is very low.