Bogus Toothpaste Now in 6 States, Canada
by Andrew Bridges
Associated Press
Washington (AP) — Counterfeit Colgate toothpaste has now turned up in Canada, where testing has found dangerous bacteria but not the poisonous chemical previously detected in four states, a health official said Saturday.
In addition, store owners and police say they have discovered that the bogus Colgate was sold in Michigan and Virginia.
The FDA warned earlier in June that fake Colgate distributed in Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania may contain a poisonous chemical called diethylene glycol, or DEG, that typically is used in antifreeze. That toothpaste was the subject of a June 13 recall by a New Jersey distributor…
In recent weeks the FDA began stopping all suspect Chinese toothpaste before it enters the U.S. and has warned people not to use the products because they may contain DEG. The regulatory agency has identified six Chinese manufacturers that use the chemical in their toothpaste products, typically sold in the U.S. at discount or dollar stores.
Health Canada said it has identified 21 Chinese-made toothpastes that contain up to 13.7 percent DEG – a far higher level than anything found in U.S. testing. Canada too is stopping all imports of Chinese toothpaste until they can be proven safe. Read the whole story here.
Image source: Doctor Anonymous