Unilever, Bayer Hit With Suits Over Benzene in Spray Products

Suits over consumer goods allegedly tainted with undisclosed benzene continue to mount, with Unilever U.S. Inc. and Bayer LLC now facing litigation over spray deodorant and anti-fungal products.

The litigation follows a citizen petition by independent testing lab Valisure, which asked the Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 3 to recall numerous spray antiperspirant and deodorant products found to contain elevated levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen.

Valisure found average concentrations of benzene above the FDA’s concentration limit of 2 ppm in 16 spray deodorants, including a Unilever Suave product, according to a proposed class suit in the U.S. ...