Liquid laundry pods are responsible for an increasing number of poisonings worldwide, particularly among the pediatric population. French toxicovigilance network analysed a large series of exposures to pods – unit dose formulation – and compare them to exposures to traditional liquid laundry detergent product.

A retrospective study of exposures to pods and to traditional liquid laundry detergent product, recorded from 2005 to 2012 by the French Poison Control and Toxicovigilance Centres. Circumstances and routes of exposure, symptoms and severe cases were compared.

In study period, a total of 7562 exposures to pods have been reported involving more frequently children under 6 years: 92.5% among which 7.0% aged less than one year. When comparing pods with the 6871 exposures to traditional liquid laundry detergent product reported other the same period, we observed mainly an oral route of exposure (85.8% versus 88.4%), or ocular (13.4% versus 10.1%), frequency of symptomatic cases (66.8% versus 45.1%), and severe cases: 104 cases, including 83 keratitis versus 26 cases with 13 keratitis. All these differences were significant.

The size and accessibility of the pods, the rapid destruction of the water-soluble membrane, the concentration and viscosity increase the risk of mucosal injuries and lead to a higher frequency of symptomatic pediatric cases than with traditional liquid detergent. The decrease of the amount of hazardous chemicals and increase of safety of the pack would reduce pediatric risks. Specific studies should detail the circumstances of exposure, in order to prevent pediatric accidents.