13 GIS alerts and GIF notices – weekly review

During the period 11–17 May 2026, Polish and EU supervisory authorities published 13 alerts on unsafe products in Poland. According to notices from GIS (Chief Sanitary Inspectorate), GIF (Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate), as well as RASFF and the Safety Gate system highlighted by UOKiK, the week brought cases of salmonella in poultry products, toxic alkaloids in baby tea, migration of hazardous chemicals from a kitchen ladle, and serious quality defects in paediatric medicines. Several alerts concern toys and an electrical water pump posing choking and electric-shock risks.

The 13 entries include both classic withdrawals from sale (mainly food, cosmetics and toys) and information notices on suspensions or bans on placing certain medicines on the market. Two events are classified as critical: contaminated baby tea and suspected glass fragments in an intravenous infusion medicine. The remaining alerts are rated high or medium risk and require increased vigilance from consumers, retailers and healthcare professionals.

Key points

• 13 new GIS alerts, GIF notices and UOKiK product warnings in a single week.
• Critical risks: baby tea with pyrrolizidine alkaloids and an infusion medicine suspected of glass contamination.
• GIS flags salmonella in poultry and kebab, as well as sesame with excessive pesticide residues.
• UOKiK and Safety Gate report dangerous magnetic toys, choking hazards and a submersible pump with electric-shock risk.
• GIF highlights degradation of the active substance in anti-diarrhoeal medicines for children.

Wycofania z obrotu

Komunikaty i wstrzymania

Featured notices

Viantan powder for solution for infusion (B. Braun Melsungen AG)

Hazard: After reconstitution of the powder, a large glass fragment was observed in a vial from batch 82947TB24. According to GIF, this raises a justified suspicion that the infusion solution may be contaminated with a foreign body. Intravenous administration of such a product could cause vascular damage, embolism and other life-threatening complications.

Store: n/a | EAN: 05909991379858 | Manufacturer: B. Braun Melsungen AG

Herbal-fruit baby tummy tea (Herbapol Kraków)

Hazard: GIS reports that batch 010126 contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids above the EU maximum level, indicating significant contamination of the herbal raw material. These compounds can damage the liver, act as poisons and are considered potentially carcinogenic, which is particularly alarming given that the product is intended for infants from one month of age.

Store: n/a | EAN: n/a | Manufacturer: Krakowskie Zakłady Zielarskie w Krakowie "Herbapol" S.A.

Frozen poultry kebab contaminated with Salmonella

Hazard: In all five tested samples of frozen poultry kebab, salmonella was detected despite the EU zero-tolerance requirement in 25 g of product. As GIS underlines, consumption may lead to acute diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting and dehydration, and in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised people even to sepsis.

Store: n/a | EAN: n/a | Manufacturer: not specified

LEAN Toys magnetic toy set

Hazard: According to UOKiK and the EU Safety Gate system, the set contains small, very strong magnets. If a child swallows more than one, they can attract each other through the intestinal walls, causing obstruction or perforation that requires urgent surgery. This is one of the most serious injury mechanisms linked to magnetic toys.

Store: n/a | EAN: 5905515352178 | Manufacturer: LEAN Toys

Health risk analysis

Food-related alerts from GIS underline how crucial food safety is throughout the supply chain. Salmonella in poultry cuts and frozen kebab is a classic bacterial foodborne hazard. Infection typically presents with diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. In small children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses, the risk of severe dehydration and sepsis is substantial and often requires hospital care with intravenous fluids.

GIS warns consumers not to use baby tea from batch 010126 because of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These plant toxins can injure liver cells, lead to chronic liver disease and, with long-term exposure, may increase cancer risk. Infants are especially vulnerable, as their body weight is low and detoxification systems are immature.

The MULTI SMART ladle poses a chemical risk: primary aromatic amines migrating from plastic into food. Some of these compounds are proven carcinogens, which is why EU law effectively bans their presence in food. Similarly, haloxyfop pesticide residues exceeding the maximum residue level in sesame seeds may, after long-term high intake, harm the liver and potentially the developing fetus in pregnant women.

GIF notices on Recenum Baby and Recenum Junior highlight degradation of the active substance racecadotril and exceedance of impurity C limits in stability studies. This can reduce the efficacy of treatment for acute diarrhoea in children and carries not yet fully characterised toxicological risks. The suspicion of glass in Viantan infusion solution is an extreme safety concern: even microscopic fragments can cause emboli, vascular injury and multi-organ complications if infused intravenously.

For non-food consumer products, UOKiK and Safety Gate focus on mechanical and electrical hazards. Small detachable parts on the LEAN Toys crab can block a child’s airway within seconds. Swallowed high-strength magnets can clamp bowel loops together, cutting off blood supply and perforating the gut. The ORCA submersible pump lacks adequate earthing and insulation; contact with live parts in water can result in electric shock.

Stores and institutions covered by the notices

In this reporting week, most actions were initiated by authorities rather than specific retail chains. GIS is responsible for the food safety alerts on poultry products, sesame and baby tea, while GIF issued notices on one infusion medicine (Viantan) and two paediatric anti-diarrhoeal medicines (Recenum Baby and Junior). As UOKiK explains, dangerous LEAN Toys products, Victoria VYNN gel polishes and the ORCA pump were reported via the EU Safety Gate system.

This means the products may have been distributed through multiple brick-and-mortar and online stores across Poland. Consumers should carefully check product names, EAN codes and batch numbers given in GIS, GIF and UOKiK communications and ask retailers about product origin where necessary. For toys and the pump, immediate cessation of use at home is essential until the situation is clarified.

Consumer advice

If you find any of the products mentioned in this article at home, first verify the batch number, minimum durability date and EAN code. For the baby tummy tea, MULTI SMART ladle, LEAN Toys products, ORCA pump and Victoria VYNN gel polishes, authorities recommend stopping use immediately and returning the item to the point of sale. In practice, most retailers accept such unsafe products back even without a receipt, offering a refund or replacement.

If the product has already been consumed or used, watch for symptoms. After eating food potentially contaminated with salmonella, monitor for diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and signs of dehydration (dry mouth, little urine). If symptoms are severe, especially in children and older adults, seek urgent medical care. After repeated consumption of the contaminated baby tea, the acute poisoning risk is low, but parents should inform their paediatrician about the product and batch used.

Where skin has been exposed to gel polishes containing TPO, stop using them and consult a dermatologist if redness, itching or blistering occurs. If a child swallows a magnet or small toy part, do not induce vomiting; go straight to an emergency department, ideally with the packaging to show the doctor. After any electric shock from the faulty pump, the affected person should be examined by a doctor even if symptoms appear mild.

Legal context

Product safety in Poland relies on cooperation between several authorities. GIS oversees food safety and food-contact materials, GIF supervises medicinal products, and UOKiK is responsible for general consumer product safety, including toys, cosmetics and electrical appliances. At EU level, the RASFF system (for food and feed) and the Safety Gate database (for non-food consumer products) allow rapid sharing of alerts between member states.

Decisions such as withdrawals, suspensions or marketing bans mean that a product may no longer be legally sold and, in many cases, must be removed from shelves and the supply chain. Consumers are entitled to clear risk information, to a refund for unsafe products and, where damage occurs, to seek compensation under Polish civil law. Regularly checking official GIS alerts, GIF notices and UOKiK warnings is an effective way to stay informed and protect your household from hidden safety risks.