Tite Prout
Maître de Cérémonie du forum
Nombre de messages : 1737
Localisation : Montréal
Date d'inscription : 01/06/2005
 | | US checks China's toothpaste for toxins | |
US checks toothpaste for toxins
Toothpaste is the latest Chinese export to raise safety concerns
Health officials in the United States say they are checking all
shipments of toothpaste imported from China for contamination with
toxic chemicals.
Panama and the Dominican Republic have reported finding
diethylene glycol, a chemical used in engine coolants, in toothpaste
from China.
The toothpaste scare is the latest involving products from China.
Earlier this year, contaminated pet food ingredients killed a number of cats and dogs in North America.
The toxic chemical, melamine, was found in wheat gluten
exports from China for use in pet food, prompting a recall of at least
100 pet food brands.
The tainted wheat gluten was even thought to have made its way into livestock feed.
Low-cost substitute
Cough syrup containing containing diethylene glycol originating from China killed more than 50 people in Panama last year.
The New York Times said a Chinese chemical maker had
sold the industrial-grade chemical as glycerine, which is often used as
a moistener in products from toothpaste to soap and cosmetics.
CHINESE FOOD SCARES
May 2007 China probes reports that contaminated toothpaste was sent to Central America
March 2007 Melamine is found in wheat gluten exports from China for use in pet food, prompting a recall of at least 100 pet food brands
Nov 2006 A dye farmers fed to ducks to make
their eggs look fresher is found to contain cancer-causing properties
and 5,000 ducks are culled
August 2006 About 40 people in Beijing contract meningitis after eating partially cooked snails at a chain of restaurants
Diethylene glycol is sometimes used as a low-cost
substitute for glycerine and Chinese toothpaste makers have said small
amounts of the chemical are harmless in toothpaste.
"We are going to be sampling and testing all shipments
of toothpaste that come from China," said Doug Arbesfeld, a spokesman
for the US Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA says China is the second-largest exporter of toothpaste to the US after Canada.
Food safety investigators in Panama said two brands of toothpaste were imported illegally from China through a free-trade zone.
Chinese officials say they are investigating the claims.
The Dominican Republic and Panama have pulled thousands
of tubes of Chinese toothpaste brands Excel and Mr Cool from store
shelves.
Beijing recently pledged to clean up its tainted food
and drug industry after the series of safety scares. The subject was
raised by the US in bilateral trade talks this week.
The former head of China's State Food and Drug
Administration is facing trial, accused of taking large bribes to
approve untested medicines.
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