Shanghai Youjia Technology recalled 1500 kitchen paper products due to excessive acrylamide content, classified as a Class 2A carcinogen. The brand’s customer service stated that only exchanges or refunds were available, with no additional compensation offered.
The Shanghai market regulator recently announced that the products in question were the Youjia wall-mounted kitchen paper towels manufactured on January 21, 2026, with a recall period from August 14 to November 13. The recall notice urged consumers to immediately stop using the product.
The product packaging indicated compliance with the standard “Kitchen Paper Towels” GB/T 26174-2023, which specifies that the acrylamide content should not exceed 0.1 milligrams per kilogram. According to Youjia’s customer service, the detected value in the affected batch was 0.141 milligrams per kilogram.
The customer service mentioned that some unsold products had been sealed off; even if consumers had used the products, they could still receive a refund with a proof of purchase. The brand attributed the excessive levels to the original paper produced by the supplier and claimed that the supplier had been replaced.
On August 19, the customer service of Youjia downplayed the issue of excessive acrylamide, citing that it was only a “little over.” However, the product packaging clearly listed this standard as the requirement.
Consumers were informed that they could apply for refunds or exchanges, but no additional compensation would be provided. In response to health risks, the customer service cited the acrylamide content in coffee and fried foods and mentioned that the amount entering the human body through kitchenware and tableware was minimal.
At the same time, the product’s sales page had previously claimed that it could be used to wipe fruits and vegetables, absorb steak blood, and serve as oil blotting paper.
Tan Mintao, a lawyer from the Beijing Zhongwen (Xi’an) Law Firm, stated to “Jiupai News” that since the standard was explicitly stated on the packaging, the company should meet the relevant requirements and could not use the acrylamide content in foods as an exemption. If there was no personal harm caused, consumers generally had a harder time demanding additional compensation.
As of August 19, the products in question were no longer searchable on Taobao, Jingdong, and Pinduoduo, but they were still being sold by third-party stores on Douyin Mall.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies acrylamide as a Class 2A carcinogen, meaning it is potentially carcinogenic to humans.
Zhang Xiaoming, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Health-Related Products Quality Inspection and Testing Center at the Nanjing Quality Inspection Institute, mentioned that polyacrylamide was used during the papermaking process to enhance the strength and wet resistance of paper, potentially leaving behind acrylamide monomers.
Public information reveals that acrylamide can enter the human body through the skin, respiratory tract, and digestive system, primarily affecting the nervous system. Prolonged exposure to low concentrations could lead to chronic poisoning.
The incident has raised concerns among netizens. Some expressed disappointment, saying, “I dare not use any new products that suddenly become popular.” Others bluntly stated, “Various waste products, I dare not use them at all,” and “It’s really not easy to stay alive.” Some netizens questioned the safety of mainstream paper towels, wondering, “Are those ‘three-no’ tissues outside even more dangerous?”