The Food and Drug Administration has outlawed at least five beauty products from Japan and Taiwan after finding out the items contained high levels of mercury.

In a circular, the FDA authorized inspectors to seize the five products, which it described as "imminently injurious, unsafe or dangerous."

"(These products) contain heavy metal (mercury) exceeding the allowable limit of 1 ppm (part per million). These cosmetic products therefore pose imminent danger or injury to the consuming public and the importation, selling or offering for sale of such is in direct violation of Republic Act No. 9711 or the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009," acting FDA director Nazarita Tacandong said in FDA Circular 2010-015.

The circular was dated Aug. 31 but a copy posted on the FDA website only Wednesday.

She identified the five products as:

• St. Dalfour Beauty Whitening Cream (Tokyo, Japan)
  
  
• Beauty Girl Papaya & Hawthorn Essence (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed Essence), Yudantang International - Taiwan
  
  
• Beauty Girl Ginseng & Green Cucumber (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed), Taiwan
  
  
• Beauty Girl Essence Aloe Pearl (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed Essence), Taiwan
  
  
• Beauty Girl Olive & Sheep Essence (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed Essence), Taiwan

Tacandong also ordered food and drug regulation officers to "seize immediately the above identified cosmetic products for custody from all outlets or establishments where they may be found."

Likewise, she sought the assistance of all local government units and consumers in "reporting all outlets found selling the above products." — LBG, GMANews.TV