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Last week, it was reported that 450,000 tubes of toothpaste made in China and containing a dangerous chemical have been distributed in the U.S. It is now clear that twice that number of tubes has been released in the U.S., to places such as prisons, juvenile detention centers, hospitals for the mentally ill, and some hospitals that serve the general public.
Diethylene Glycol, Antifreeze Ingredient
About 900,000 tubes of toothpaste with the antifreeze ingredient diethylene glycol (DEG) have been distributed, according to The New York Times. Two U.S. distribution companies that have supplied Chinese-made toothpaste, McKesson Corp. and American Amenities, said that they are recalling such toothpaste, with the EverFRESH and Springfresh brand names.
FDA Warning
State officials in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia have reported receiving toothpaste made in China, to be used in state institutions. No reports of illness have surfaced, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised all consumers in the U.S. to discard any toothpaste they have that was made in China.
Manufacturers Admit DEG Use
Diethylene glycol is apparently used frequently in the manufacture of toothpaste in China, in place of the more costly chemical glycerin. Chinese regulators have admitted to the use of DEG in toothpaste, saying that toothpaste with a small amount of DEG is not harmful. However, FDA spokesman Doug Arbesfeld said of the presence of DEG, "This stuff does not belong in toothpaste, period," adding that "No Chinese toothpaste has come into the country since the end of May."
After the government in Panama found DEG in imported Chinese toothpaste, countries from South America to Japan to West Africa have seized the toothpaste for recall and replacement. Prosecutors in Panama said that DEG made in China was also accidentally mixed into more than 250,000 bottles of cold medicine, which killed at least 100 people.
(Source: New York Times)
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