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Hygroscopic balls for watering plants - Pearl Shape Crystal Soil – Gemme Di Rugiada

Serious risk Choking, Injuries

Published by Safety Gate 18 Nov 2010In the weekly report of 19 Nov 2010 (week 46, 2010)Safety Gate noticeJSON
latest report: week 43, 30 Oct 2026checked 3 min agoSource: EU Safety Gate
Product
Hygroscopic balls for watering plants - Pearl Shape Crystal Soil
Brand
Gemme Di Rugiada
Brand as notified
Gemme di Rugiada
Type / model
Unknown
Description
Transparent 8 g package containing hygroscopic balls. Each package contains balls of a single colour. Colours available are: white, transparent, yellow, orange, light green, blue, red, purple, pink. They are available in small, medium and large sizes. Original diameter: small - 1.25 mm; medium - 1.7 to 2.0 mm; large - 2 to 2.5 mm. The product’s specification sheet states that the balls can increase their original weight by 120 to 150 times.
Risk
The products pose a risk of choking and injuries because they are identical in appearance to sugar balls used to decorate cakes, and because they expand rapidly upon contact with water, they may, if accidentally ingested, obstruct the intestine, or, if they enter the airway, impede or completely prevent the passage of air, resulting in respiratory distress and/or asphyxia. The assessment of the article carried out by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (note 24277 dated 01.06.2010) showed that after only 30 minutes, the balls had increased in volume by over 300%.The products do not comply with the Directive 87/357/EEC on products which, appearing to be other than they are, endanger the health or safety of consumers.
Measures
  • Seizure of the products, withdrawal from the market and recall from consumers ordered by the authorities
Notifying country
Italy
Country of origin
People's Republic of China
Alert type
Consumer
Photos
Photo 1 of the product in Safety Gate alert 1716/10
Photos shown from the Safety Gate server (European Commission); not copied here.

This page reproduces the Safety Gate record as published. recallarchive is not affiliated with the European Commission. If you own this product, follow the measures above and contact the seller.

Sources

  1. Safety Gate alert 1716/10
    European Commission, Safety Gaterecord fields marked “official alert record”: © European Union, CC BY 4.0; values listed separately here
  2. Safety Gate weekly report Report-2010-46 (XML)
    the copy this page was built fromCC0 1.0