Toxic Toothpase From China
Posted on June 8, 2007
The New York Times reported concerns about toothpaste that has been made in China. Some toothpaste from China was found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG), a poisonous chemical coolant used in antifreeze.
Consumers were advised yesterday to discard all toothpaste made in China after federal health officials said they found Chinese-made toothpaste containing a poison used in some antifreeze in three locations: Miami, the Port of Los Angeles and Puerto Rico.The FDA's page with warnings about toothpaste from China can be found here. In addition to thee grave concerns about chemicals in imported products there is also much to be concerned with in U.S. products. The Chicago Tribune's Julie's Health Club blog points out that there are many chemicals registered for use in the U.S. that have never been tested for safety. Search the web and you also will find legitimate concerns about chemicals in deodorants, chemicals in pots and pans, worries about sweeteners and complaints about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).Although there are no reports of anyone being harmed by the toothpaste, the Food and Drug Administration warned that the Chinese products had a "low but meaningful risk of toxicity and injury" to children and people with kidney or liver disease.
The United States is the seventh country to find tainted Chinese toothpaste within its borders in recent weeks.
Agency officials said they found toothpaste containing a small amount of diethylene glycol, a sweet, syrupy poison, at a Dollar Plus retail store in Miami, sold under the brand name ShiR Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste. The F.D.A. also identified nine other brands of Chinese toothpaste that contain diethylene glycol, some with concentrations of 3 percent to 4 percent.
Previously, only a few brands had been identified by health officials around the world as containing diethylene glycol and all of them listed the chemical on the label.