US agency announces recall of tainted Chinese toothpaste

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Food and Drug Administration has announced the worldwide recall of a Chinese-produced toothpaste often found in hotels, after tests showed some samples contained the chemical diethylene glycol, or DEG, which is used as an antifreeze.

The toothpaste, manufactured by Ming Fai Enterprises International Co and recalled by the FDA on Monday, was produced for Gilchrist & Soames, a US-based provider of toiletry products for the hotel industry.

Hoteliers were asked to destroy any remaining inventory of the tainted toothpaste, which had been exported to hotels around the world including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean.

It had also been shipped to hotels in United Kingdom Ireland, Spain, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

The latest recall comes amid a spate of reports in the United States of tainted pet foods, dangerous toys, drugs and cosmetics.

The FDA said in a statement that it was not aware of any poisonings from toothpaste, but put the recall in place because of the potential risks of toxicity from chronic exposure to DEG and exposure to DEG in certain populations.

The recalls follows a similar US government action in June, when counterfeit Colgate toothpaste imported from China was found to be contaminated with DEG, and several people in the eastern US reported experiencing headaches and pain after using the product.

Kathie De Voe, president of Gilchrist & Soames, said in a statement released by the FDA that the company had halted all outgoing shipments of its "made in China" toothpaste, and had asked its hotel clients to stop offering Chinese-made Gilchrist & Soames toothpaste to their guests.

"We want to ensure that any contaminated toothpaste is safely disposed of and/or destroyed," she said.

"We strongly encourage consumers to dispose of any of the recalled toothpaste they may still have."