If you have a bottle of baby gripe water at home, check the label today. UAE health authorities have recalled one batch of Babies’ Magic Tea Baby Sleep Gripe Water after finding undeclared alcohol.
What Has Been Recalled?
The Emirates Drug Establishment and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) pulled the product, which is also sold as Children’s Sleep Gripe Water. It is marketed as a dietary supplement for colic and gas and to help babies sleep. The packaging also says it eases constipation, acid reflux and fussiness, and it is labelled for babies older than two weeks.
The recall was issued under Circular No. 45/2026. Authorities say the product doesn’t hold a valid marketing authorisation in the UAE. The batch number and expiry date haven’t been shared.
What Did The Tests Find?
The recall follows a move in the US, where Pacific Health Sciences voluntarily recalled one lot of its 4oz bottles earlier this month. Testing by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on that lot found three alcohols that weren’t listed on the label:
- Ethanol: about 8.3 per cent
- Methanol: about 0.35 per cent
- Isopropanol: about 0.48 per cent
Why It Matters For Babies
The FDA says these alcohols can affect the central nervous system, and exposure to ethanol in infancy has been linked to long-term developmental effects. Even the amounts suggested on the packaging can cause drowsiness, poor coordination, changes in behaviour, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Larger amounts raise the risk of respiratory depression and other serious problems. How much risk there is depends on the amount given, plus the baby’s age and weight.
The key concern is that none of these alcohols were declared on the label, so parents following the printed directions would have had no way of knowing what their baby was being given.
Also Read: UAE Recalls Some Nestle Infant Formulas, As Saudi Arabia Warns Against Toxin Risks
What Should Parents Do?
Stop using the product. You can throw it away or take it back to the place where you bought it for a refund. The DHA has also asked healthcare facilities and practitioners to follow the Emirates Drug Establishment’s instructions.
If your baby has been given it and seems unwell, speak to a paediatrician or seek medical care promptly. It’s also sensible to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any supplement to a newborn.
Cover Image Courtesy: FDA/Website
FAQs
What should I do if I have this product at home?
Stop using it. Discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. If your baby has taken it and seems unwell, contact a paediatrician or seek medical care.
Why was the gripe water recalled?
Undisclosed alcoholic substances were found in the product, and it doesn’t have a valid marketing authorisation in the UAE. US FDA testing on a recalled lot found about 8.3 per cent ethanol, 0.35 per cent methanol and 0.48 per cent isopropanol.
