Dangerous Buki Sensory Slime Sold on Amazon: Parents Urged to Check Home Now

The Portugal Consumer Directorate-General has issued a formal chemical hazard warning for a popular sensory slime toy sold via Amazon and other online retailers, a product that could damage children's reproductive systems through excessive boron exposure. Parents are urged to check toy boxes immediately for the specific Buki France model.

Why This Matters

• Boron levels exceed safe limits by more than 380 times: The Buki Sensory Slime registered migration levels up to 11,419 mg/kg, far beyond the European safety threshold

• Reproductive health at risk: Both ingestion and skin contact with excessive boron compounds can permanently affect developing reproductive organs in children

• All production batches affected: Every unit of reference model 2169 carries the same chemical hazard, regardless of purchase date

• France has already recalled the product: Neighboring authorities have pulled it from retail shelves and online marketplaces, though Portugal's enforcement status remains unclear

The Chemical Hazard Identified

Background on the Alert

The Portugal Consumer Directorate-General (DGC) confirmed the alert originates from the European Rapid Alert System for Non-Food Dangerous Products (Safety Gate), which flagged the Buki France "Sensory slime" last year. The toy—a 20-piece sensory development kit complete with plastic tools and protective mats—violates both the EU Toy Safety Directive and the harmonized standard EN 71-3, which governs chemical migration from play materials.

Understanding the Boron Risk

Boron, typically present in slime formulations as borax (sodium borate) or boric acid, serves as a cross-linking agent that gives the product its characteristic viscosity. But when concentrations climb beyond regulatory limits, the compound becomes a systemic toxin. Laboratory testing revealed boron migration levels in this particular Buki product reaching 11,419 mg/kg—a figure that far exceeds the permissible threshold and raises immediate concerns for pediatric health.

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) classifies borax as a reproductive toxicant. For young children, whose organ systems are still maturing, the risks are particularly significant. The minimum toxic dose for small children ranges between 2 g and 3 g of ingested boron—an amount easily reached through hand-to-mouth contact during unsupervised play sessions.

Identifying the Product at Home

Portuguese households that purchased sensory toys online within the past year should conduct an immediate inventory check. The specific product carries the following identification markers:

• Product name: Sensory slime

• Brand: Buki France

• Model reference: 2169

• Barcode: 3 700802 105374

• Batch numbers: All production lots affected

The kit typically includes 20 individual slime containers marketed for tactile development, accompanied by plastic manipulation tools and protective play surfaces. The product circulated primarily through Amazon's Portugal marketplace, though other online sellers may have stocked it as well.

Parents who locate the item should cease use immediately and isolate the product from children's reach. Direct contact—even without ingestion—poses dermatological risks, particularly if the child has any existing skin abrasions, burns, or irritations that facilitate absorption.

What This Means for Portuguese Families

While the DGC serves as Portugal's national contact point for Safety Gate notifications and forwards dangerous product alerts to market surveillance authorities, the research indicates no explicit confirmation that Portugal has issued its own formal removal order for the Buki slime. France, by contrast, has enacted a comprehensive three-tier response: product recall from end users, mandatory delisting from online marketplaces, and market withdrawal by distributors.

The Portugal Food and Economic Safety Authority (ASAE), which holds enforcement jurisdiction over toy safety compliance, has previously ordered market restrictions on other slime products that breached chemical safety directives. However, as of now, no public record confirms a specific ASAE intervention targeting the Buki reference 2169 model—a regulatory gap that leaves Portuguese consumers in a vulnerable position.

Families who purchased the product should initiate returns through the original point of sale and request full refunds. Amazon's buyer protection policies typically accommodate health and safety-based returns beyond standard return windows. For households that acquired the toy through third-party sellers, direct contact with Buki France via the manufacturer's email (leobukifrance@gmail.com) may expedite resolution.

Health Risks from Boron Exposure

Excessive boron exposure poses serious health risks to children. Key concerns include:

• Reproductive system damage: The primary concern identified in the DGC alert—both ingestion and skin contact with excessive boron can affect developing reproductive organs

• Gastrointestinal distress: Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting from ingestion

• Dermatological reactions: Contact irritation from prolonged handling, especially on compromised skin

• Systemic effects: Dehydration and other serious health impacts from significant exposure

The absorption route matters significantly. Oral ingestion represents the most common and dangerous pathway, particularly for toddlers who instinctively bring hands to mouth during play. Transdermal absorption through damaged skin barriers also contributes to toxin exposure.

What Parents Should Do Now

Immediate action steps for Portuguese households:

Check toy inventories for the Buki Sensory Slime model 2169, using the barcode and reference number to confirm identification

Stop all use and store the product out of children's reach in a sealed container

Contact the retailer where purchased—Amazon or otherwise—to initiate a safety recall return and obtain a refund

Reach out directly to Buki France at leobukifrance@gmail.com if the retailer proves unresponsive

Monitor children who used the product for symptoms including nausea, vomiting, skin irritation, headaches, or abdominal pain—seek medical attention if any appear, and inform the healthcare provider about the boron exposure

For parents who continue allowing children to play with other slime products, pediatric safety experts recommend strict protocols: adult supervision during all play sessions, thorough handwashing with soap immediately after handling, prohibition of hand-to-mouth contact during and after play, and avoidance of homemade slime recipes that rely on borax or boric acid as cross-linking agents.

The European Toy Safety Framework

Portugal's participation in the Safety Gate system provides a critical early-warning infrastructure that connects national consumer protection agencies across the European Union. When one member state identifies a dangerous product, the alert propagates through the network, enabling coordinated responses that prevent cross-border circulation of hazardous goods.

This pattern of multi-country action across Europe underscores the severity of the chemical violation and the product's wide distribution footprint across European online retail channels.

Portuguese consumers benefit from these interconnected safety protocols, even when domestic enforcement lags behind neighboring countries. The DGC's role as the national relay point ensures that Safety Gate notifications reach Portuguese market surveillance authorities, who then assess whether local market conditions warrant intervention measures such as sales bans, import restrictions, or mandatory recalls.

Regulatory Standards and Compliance

The regulatory framework governing toy safety in Europe sets clear chemical migration limits designed to protect children during normal and foreseeable use patterns. The EN 71-3 standard specifically addresses the release of hazardous elements—including boron—from toy materials, recognizing that young children engage with play objects through multiple sensory pathways: mouthing, prolonged skin contact, and accidental ingestion.

The Buki slime's measured boron migration levels breach these scientifically established safety margins by a significant degree. The 11,419 mg/kg reading represents roughly 380 times the maximum allowable limit for boron compounds in children's toys. Such a substantial exceedance indicates a serious formulation or quality control issue.

The absence of a confirmed Portuguese market removal order raises questions about enforcement coordination. While the ASAE possesses full legal authority to order product withdrawals, issue sales prohibitions, and mandate consumer notifications, the agency's operational priorities span food safety, economic crimes, and a vast universe of consumer goods beyond toys. Resource constraints and case prioritization may explain delayed action on what neighboring countries have already classified as urgent.

Next Steps for Concerned Consumers

Portuguese law grants consumers robust protections when products pose health and safety risks. Beyond standard return rights, purchasers of the Buki slime may invoke consumer protection statutes that impose strict liability on sellers and distributors for dangerous goods, particularly those that violate EU safety directives.

Families who believe a child has suffered harm from the product should document the exposure through photographs, medical records, and retained product samples. Legal consultation with a consumer rights attorney may be warranted if health impacts manifest, as the violation of explicit EU safety standards strengthens claims for compensatory damages.

The DGC operates a consumer helpline and complaint submission portal where Portuguese residents can report dangerous products, seek guidance on returns and refunds, and inquire about enforcement actions. Collective consumer complaints often accelerate regulatory responses by demonstrating the product's market penetration and public health impact.

For now, the single most important protective action remains the simplest: identify the product in your home, remove it from children's access, and return it immediately. The chemical hazard is real, the exposure pathway is direct, and the potential health consequences justify immediate action to protect children.