Danger of poisoning Detergent in candy look

Danger of poisoning by detergents also for the elderly

04/28/2014

Detergents that are fruity to lemon or berry and sold in colorful, poppy bottles can be dangerous. It has long ceased to be only infants, but more and more older people are poisoned by budget funds. Particularly problematic are also detergents that are offered in candy look.

More and more older people are poisoned by budget funds
Many cleansers today are sold in colorful, poppy bottles and smell fruity like lemons or berries. According to experts, they are no longer just a risk for small children, but also more and more elderly people are poisoned by budget funds. „In old age, with certain diseases and incipient dementia, the sense of taste suffers“, my experts from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), where the National Commission for the Evaluation of Poisoning has been located for 50 years. That is why they want to extend prevention to old people. According to the dpa news agency, BfR Commission Director Axel Hahn explained: „Because many old or demented people taste less, they also drink larger amounts of the substance. And when they develop symptoms, there is often no one to help - unlike infants.“

Detergent capsules that act like giant drops
In these cases, bitter substances, such as those already added to some fruity or floral-scented cleaning and pesticides, also help a little. „The bitter substances do not have the resounding protective effect that we had hoped for“, so cock. Because even small children would not really spit out disgusting bitter things, but sometimes swallow it reflexively quickly. The experts at the BfR Commission and the nine Poison Information Centers in Germany are also worried about the new gel detergents in single portions with water-soluble film. These capsules called gel caps are usually colorful and shiny packed and look appetizing like giant drops with a soft, smooth surface.„However, the caps contain significantly higher concentrations of surfactants compared to other detergents“, explained Hahn. So the health risk of swallowing is much greater.

First manufacturers have responded to criticism
In countries such as France, the United Kingdom and Italy, where Gel Caps have been on the market for some time, the number of inquiries to Poison Control Centers has steadily increased since then. But numerous cases have also been documented in Germany. Michael Deters from the Poison Information Center in Erfurt, which is responsible for Saxony, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said: „We have more requests for these detergents.“ Already 70 cases have been reported there since 2013. However, the first manufacturers have already responded to the criticism and changed product colors and closures. „We could detect such trends much more quickly if we finally had a national poisoning monitoring“, says cock. Since money for personnel is missing, cases of poisoning in Germany would not be systematically recorded and evaluated so far. The individual poison info centers therefore only deliver to the BfR on request. „A central register would make sense, because otherwise there is always the question of whether an accumulation is only a regional problem“, also means Deters.

Poisoning risks due to plants
However, potential dangers are currently growing outside, in nature. The expert expects in the coming weeks above all again with inquiries to the spring flowering. For example, tasty wild garlic is mistaken for poisonous autumnal times or lilies of the valley. „Luckily, over the years, we find that many plants are not as toxic as we thought. So in the future it's all about avoiding unnecessary overtreatment. Because in most cases you can relax“, explained cock. In the coming year, a new classification of the toxicity of plants will appear. Their results are also reflected in the BfR Gift Info App, which has been providing help via smartphone since the summer of 2013. Among other things, it provides information on symptoms of poisoning and emergency aid, as well as tips on how to prevent poisoning accidents right from the start.

Especially requests for small children
By the way, in the Poison Information Centers, the third place to ask about drug-poisoning in children is trouble because the little ones have swallowed mom's pill. However, the experts would be able to respond reassuringly that there is no need for action up to a monthly package. Also with the Berlin poison emergency take requests. The need for advice is constantly increasing there. Two-thirds of the calls are about toddlers. Often these would have inadvertently consumed household chemicals, such as dish soap. Second in the „Poison emergency call Berlin“ at the Charité calls because children swallowed medication. (Sb)

Picture: Erich Werner