MANILA—Johnson & Johnson said Monday only baby powder products distributed in the United States were recalled over alleged asbestos contamination.

"The safety of those who use our products is our top priority, and we determined to initiate the voluntary recall of a single lot of Johnson’s Baby Powder solely in the United States out of an abundance of caution," the healthcare conglomerate said in a statement.

"Of note, this lot was only distributed in the U.S and does not affect markets out of the United States, including the Philippines."

Some 33,000 bottles of baby powder in the United States were recalled after US health regulators found trace amounts of asbestos in samples taken from a bottle purchased online.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has been linked to deadly mesothelioma cancer.

• J&J recalls 33,000 bottles of baby powder as FDA finds asbestos in sample

J&J said it is conducting a thorough investigation into the issue, including working with the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"Thousands of tests over the past 40 years repeatedly confirm that our consumer talc products do not contain asbestos and we are determined to resolve this matter as quickly as possible," it said.

J&J maintained its talc products are safe, and that decades of studies have shown them to be asbestos-free and that they do not cause cancer.

Talc is an “inert” ingredient, meaning it does not generate a chemical reaction when ingested or used on the skin, it added.

Since 2003, talc in Johnson's Baby Powder sold in the United States has come from China through supplier Imerys Talc America, a unit of Paris-based Imerys SA and a co-defendant in much of the talc litigation.—With a report from Reuters, ABS-CBN News