The ‘Dollar Store’ pulled Colgate Palmolive, the US consumer Products Company, indirectly into soup, when the false versions of the Colgate paste was spotted in a store in the northeast US.
The whole process also led to a mounting debate over the safety and security of food and other products imported from China. Government tests on the toothpaste, bought by federal investigators at a discount store in Maryland, indicated that the paste was pestiferous with diethylene glycol, a fatal substance that took wads of deaths in several Central American countries, due to consumption of contaminated Chinese made cough medicines.
Although, the tubes were labeled ‘Colgate’, the company spokesperson urged that the imported 5-ounce tubes were counterfeit.
The Colgate-Palmolive Co. warned the counterfeit toothpaste was found in several dollar-type discount stores in four states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
The company said there were indications the product does not contain fluoride and might contain diethylene glycol. Colgate-Palmolive said it does not use, nor ever has used, diethylene glycol as an ingredient in Colgate toothpaste anywhere in the world.
The counterfeit toothpaste is labeled as "Manufactured in South Africa." In addition, the counterfeit packages have several misspellings, including: "isclinically" "SOUTH AFRLCA" "South African Dental Assoxiation."
It is not the first time that discount stores have come under a cloud. In March and April, the FDA had recalled pet food, which had traces of melamine, a toxic substance. The recall involved a predictable 60m cans and packages of cat and dog food sold by copious chief US brands. It cost Menu Foods, the Canadian supplier concerned, $42m.
In May, the FDA seized a number of weight loss drugs, which customers had purchased from the internet. These bogus or fake drugs contained nothing more than talc and starch.
However, the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, snubbed away all the allegations, urging that the FDA is trying to aggravate the already strained trade relationship between China and US.
They held that the toothpaste warning by the FDA was "unscientific, irresponsible and contradictory". The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine accepted that diethylene glycol was present in some Chinese toothpaste, but it was within safety limits accepted by the European Union.
All in all, the FDA is escalating its security measures against the Chinese made consumer goods, because the products made in China account for more than 60% of the recalls the CSPC has announced so far this year.
Consumers with questions or who suspect they might have purchased the counterfeit product can call Colgate-Palmolive at 800 468 6502.
With inputs from united press international
To whom it may concern, I have 2 tubes of toothpaste which were brought in Mahopac, New York at the A and P Large grocery store!!Both of them were made in South Africa. One is the gel, and the other is hearbal..To my knowledge thet were puchased about 2 months ago!!This now does away with the fact that they are only in dicount stores, but large food chains!! Thank you for making this public to us, sincerly christine