Thursday, 4:30 PM
Contaminated toothpaste found in 6 Boston stores
By Mac Daniel, Globe Staff
City health officials today said they found tubes of contaminated and counterfeit toothpaste at six locations in Boston and are warning consumers to discard any products they may have purchased that that look suspicious.
City health inspectors, in a sweep of more than 60 small "independent dollar-type discount stores," found the products at stores in Mattapan, Roslindale, and Dorchester.
The stores where the toothpaste was found were:
--Happy 99 Cent Store, 1611 Blue Hill Ave., Mattapan
--Super Dollar, 654 American Legion Highway, Roslindale
--99 Cent Store, 683 Canterbury St., Roslindale
--Jax Liquidation Outlet, 22 Corinth St., Roslindale
--My Tan, 693 Washington St., Dorchester
--C-Mart, 682 Washington St., Dorchester
The state Department of Public Health urged consumers not to use toothpaste falling into these categories:
-- If it is labeled "Made in China." The US Food and Drug Administration has identified a variety of brands made in China, including Cooldent, Dr. Cool, Everfresh Toothpaste, Superdent, and Oral Bright.
-- If is labeled as "Colgate" that is made in South Africa. Colgate officials have said their company does not import toothpaste from South Africa. The warning from health authorities does not apply to Colgate toothpaste made in the United States.
-- If the labeling is not in English.
The discovery comes as federal regulators report that some toothpaste made in China and elsewhere abroad contains diethylene glycol, a substance used in antifreeze. Long-term exposure to the chemical can cause kidney and liver problems.
On July 5, investigators from local health departments found about 160 tubes of toothpaste fitting those descriptions in shops in Amherst, Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Dedham, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, Somerville, Sturbridge, Wellesley, and West Springfield. It is not known whether any of the tubes contains diethylene glycol, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Health said.
China banned diethylene glycol -- a thickening agent in antifreeze -- from use in toothpaste, one of its most significant concessions yet as it struggles to regain international confidence in the country's beleaguered exports.
Chinese-made toothpaste containing the toxic substance, which can cause kidney failure, paralysis and death, has been yanked from sale in North and South America, Europe and Asia in recent weeks.
Consumers with questions or concerns should contact their local board of health or the Food Protection Program at the state Department of Public Health, at 617-983-6712.
