Squishy Dumpling Recall: Do Squishy Toys Cause Cancer?

A new popular children’s toy — squishy dumplings — which has gone viral in the past year, has come under fire for potential safety risks.

Squishy dumplings are soft plastic polymer dumpling toys found inside basket-style pots. They are soft and easy to squash, stretch and pinch — a high-demand tactile sensory toy for children. The squishy toys are usually sold in blind boxes — adding a sense of rarity and excitement to collecting these products.

Genuine squishy toys manufactured by reputable brands are generally safe. The risk to consumers comes into play when cheap or counterfeit versions of the product arrive on the market, without sufficient safety testing or regulation. If these toys are developed with toxic materials, they may pose a health risk to consumers.

Recent reports from consumer safety agencies have also highlighted that polyurethane foam-based squishy toys can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). While not all VOCs cause cancer, some are classified as dangerous, including: benzene (human carcinogen), formaldehyde (probable human carcinogen) and trichloroethylene (human carcinogen).

Since squishy toys are handled at close range for prolonged periods, users are at high risk of inhaling any toxic fumes released (e.g. VOCs) or absorbing them through the skin. While there has been early research into the VOC exposure risks from tactile toys, more is required to push for more stringent regulatory requirements in toy manufacturing.

In general, consumers are encouraged to buy squishy toys from reputable retailers, avoid heating or microwaving them, supervise children during play, and to discard toys immediately upon any tears or leaks.

In the UK, Samsons Cash and Carry has recalled one version of the squishy toy: ‘Squeezy Dumplings’. A report from the UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards highlighted a “serious” chemical risk” due to excessive levels of benzene. Benzene is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 1 carcinogen, which can cause cancer in humans.

The outer layer of the product was found to contain high levels of benzene, at 20mg/kg. If benzene is inhaled, it can cause eye, nose and throat irritation. High levels of benzene exposure can cause a burning feeling in the gastrointestinal tract, along with skin irritation.

In the US, the Consumer Product Safety Commission also issued a recall for the Orb Funkee squeeze toy in May 2026. The toy was a soft, stretchable golden monkey filled with sand and manufactured in China. The safety recall was issued due to the presence of asbestos in the sand, another Group 1 carcinogen.