The US and Canada have stopped all imports of Chinese made toothpaste, because it contains diethylene glycol (DEG). DEG is a chemical commonly used in antifreeze.

Now, there are reports that counterfeit Colgate toothpaste is being distributed. Although the origins of many containers of this counterfeit toothpaste are unknown, it seems clear the toothpaste contains DEG and harmful bacteria. DEG is a poisonous chemical used in antifreeze and as a solvent that may cause nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, urinary problems, kidney failure, breathing problems, lethargy, convulsions, coma and even death when ingested.

In recent weeks, the FDA had stopped all suspect Chinese toothpaste from entering the country and, now, Canada, has taken a similar move. Canada, according to the Associated Press, has identified 21 Chinese made toothpastes that contain up to 13.7% of DEG.

For a complete list of the Chinese manufacturers and the product names, visit the FDA informational site relating to these toothpaste products.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007 at 3:21 pm and is filed under Defective Design, Mass Torts, Product Defect. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.