Ministry of Health Bans Methanol Products from Mexico

The Ministry of Health is moving quickly to ban and recall a number of products, primarily hand sanitizers that originate from Mexico. These products have one thing in common, they contain methanol, which is considered a substance that is toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested. The list of products includes about sixty items. They have been tested for methanol by the Food and Drug Administration and based on International Public Health Regulations; the Ministry of Health is removing them from the reach of the public. Additionally, importers of hand sanitizers will have to go through a rigorous process with the Customs Department to be able to import the products and that will happen only when all requirements are met. Importers are also required to provide samples of the products for testing. A long list of products can be seen on our News Five Live Facebook page.