June 21, 2007 — If you have a tube of toothpaste with a made-in-China label, it could be counterfeit and contain the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol, Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Kenrick E. Robertson said in a news release issued Thursday.
So far the counterfeit toothpaste has turned up at Nigel's 1-2-3 stores in Frederiksted and Sunny Isle, according to Patricia O'Reilly, Licensing's legal counsel. Reports are not yet in from St. Thomas and St. John, she said, "But it was imperative we get the notice out.”
The tubes of toothpaste were confiscated and an investigation launched to determine how it got to the territory, the news release said. Diethylene glycol is a chemical found in anti-freeze.
Colgate and other brands of toothpaste are on the list, O’Reilly said. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website, the brands include Cooldent Fluoride, Cooldent Spearmint, Cooldent ICE, Dr. Cool, Everfresh Toothpaste, Superdent Toothpaste, Clean Rite Toothpaste, Oralmax Extreme, Oral Bright Fresh Spearmint Flavor, Bight Max Peppermint Flavor, ShiR Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste, DentaPro, DentaKleen and DentaKleen Junior.
Manufacturers of these products are Goldcredit International Enterprises Ltd., Goldcredit International Trading Co. Ltd. and Suzhou City Jinmao Daily Chemicals Co. Ltd.
The products typically are sold at bargain retail outlets, according to the FDA website.
While O'Reilly and the Licensing press release indicate the counterfeit Colgate brand came from China, Colgate spokesman Tom Paolella referred to a press release that indicates the Colgate name is only on counterfeit toothpaste made in South Africa.
If you have counterfeit toothpaste, return it to the store where you bought it for a refund. Otherwise, just throw it out.
For more information, call Colgate at 800-468-6502. However, the line had a long hold time for answers Thursday afternoon.
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