Watchdog warns parents over high levels of chemical in certain slimes

"The health of their children could be put at risk by these slimes."

Parents are being warned over potentially toxic levels of chemicals in kids' slime. UK consumer group Which? tested 11 slime products that are available to buy and found that eight of them had above the recommended levels of boron, reports BBC News. Boron is found in borax, an ingredient in slime that helps to make it sticky. The EU 's safety limit for boron is 300mg per kilogram but some of the slimes were found to contain four times as much. Excessive levels of boron can cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. The product with the highest level of boron was pink Toysmith Jupiter Juice, which had over four times the permitted level of boron at 1,400mg/kg.

This was followed by CCINEE Pink Fluffy Slime (1,000mg/kg) and pink Cosoro Dodolu Crystal Slime Magic Clay (980mg/kg)/.

Which? has passed its findings on to the Office for Product Safety and Standards and called on manufacturers, retailers and government to take responsibility for the sale of safe slimes. "Parents buying slime for their children should have peace of mind that these toys are safe, so they will be shocked to find that the health of their children could be put at risk by these slimes," said Which? director of research Nikki Stopford. "There must be fundamental changes to the product safety system. "Manufacturers must stop making unsafe products and the government and retailers simply have to do a far better job of getting anything identified as a risk off the shelves and out of people's homes".