FDA Warns Consumers to Steer Clear of China-Made Toothpaste

By Richard Seward

Published on June 12, 2007

The FDA discovered the contaminated toothpaste in a shipment at the Port of Los Angeles and at two retailers in Miami and Puerto Rico. Though no poisonings have been reported, the FDA is recommending that consumers dispose of any toothpaste labeled as having been manufactured in China.

Diethylene glycol is a sweet, poisonous chemical that is sometimes added to products as a substitute for more expensive glycerine, which is safe for human consumption. Glycerine is used as a thickening agent in toothpaste.

Three products products manufactured by China’s Goldcredit International Trading—Cooldent Fluoride, Cooldent Spearmint, and Cooldent ICE—were found to contain 3 to 4 percent diethylene glycol. The Jinmao Daily Chemical Company's Shir Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste was shown to contain approximately 1 percent.

The FDA has announced that it will test all shipments of toothpaste entering the United States from China. The FDA’s action comes on the heels of a massive recall of pet food manufactured in China that was found to contain a dangerous chemical.

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