WASHINGTON - The government warned consumers on Friday to avoid using toothpaste made in China because it may contain a poisonous chemical used in antifreeze. Out of caution, the
Food and Drug Administration said, people should throw away toothpaste with labeling that says it was made in China. The FDA is concerned that these products may contain diethylene glycol.
The agency is not aware of any poisoning from toothpaste in the United States, but it did find the antifreeze ingredient in a shipment at the U.S. border and at two retail stores: a Dollar Plus store in Miami and a Todo A Peso store in Puerto Rico.
Officials said they are primarily concerned about toothpaste sold at bargain retail outlets. The ingredient in question, called DEG, is used as a lower-cost sweetener and thickening agent. The highest concentration of the chemical found in toothpaste so far was between 3 percent and 4 percent of the product's overall weight.
"It does not belong in toothpaste even in small concentrations," said the FDA's Deborah M. Autor.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070601/ap_on_he_me/chinese_toothpaste
****....and some people have considered me "goofy" in the past because I have gone out of my way - for years now (not always to the degree of success that I'd like) - to avoid buying anything "made in China". Maybe those same people wouldn't consider me "goofy" now.****
Posted by Mrs Muddy at June 2, 2007 09:17 PM