Reuters AlertNet Lite - Singapore bans sale of tainted China toothpaste

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Singapore bans sale of tainted China toothpaste

06 Jun 2007 03:04:14 GMT
Source: Reuters

SINGAPORE, June 6 (Reuters) - Singapore has banned the sale of three Chinese-made toothpaste products after they were found to contain a poisonous chemical often present in solvents and anti-freeze, an official said on Wednesday. Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said it tested all toothpaste imported from China for traces of diethylene glycol, or DEG, after health officials in Latin America and the United States had raised the alarm over contaminated toothpaste.

"The problem with DEG arises from its toxicity when consumed and toothpaste may be inadvertently consumed in small doses," a HSA spokeswoman told Reuters on Wednesday.

She said there were no reports of poisonings from the toothpaste but that the HSA had ordered the recall of the three products -- Hei Mei Toothpaste, Hei Mei Calcium Toothpaste and Maxam Toothpaste with Fluoride -- as a precaution.

The three products, among the roughly 45 Chinese-made toothpaste lines available in Singapore -- are not widely distributed in the city-state.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said last week that it was not aware of any poisonings from toothpaste containing DEG but it was concerned about chronic exposure to the chemical in children and those with kidney or liver disease.

China branded the U.S. warning against using its toothpaste as irresponsible, saying low levels of DEG were not harmful.

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Last updated:Wed Jun 6 03:05:56 2007