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July 25, 2008 6:50:40 AM CDT

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Toothpaste Scare Widens—Again

Posted Jun 28, 07 7:41 AM CDT in US,  Science & Health 

(Newser) – The Chinese toothpaste scare is far from over and is more than just a scare. Tainted tubes have turned up, as expected, in discount stores—but officials have also found them in institutions such as prisons and hospitals, the Times reports. Nearly 1 million tubes containing varying amounts of a chemical found in antifreeze have been distributed, mostly in Georgia.

Some of the toothpaste turned up in Florida and the Carolinas, but the bulk belonged to the Georgia state government, which bought it in 2002 and had thousands of cases in inventory at correctional institutions and mental hospitals. Georgia was the largest institutional account for the American distributor, which said it will stop importing toothpaste from China.

Source New York Times

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A member of the Customs Direction Office stands guard next to boxes containing tubes, displayed by authorities outside the boxes for the press, of tainted toothpaste in Santo Domingo, Thursday, May 24,...   (Associated Press)
Cameras are trained on boxes of Chinese-made Dentamint toothpaste at the Health Ministry in Managua, Saturday, June 9, 2007. Police have seized more than 40,000 tubes of toothpaste suspected of containing...   (Associated Press)
A customs agent points to the ingredient Diethylene Glycol listed on a box of Chinese made Mr. Cool toothpaste in Managua, Thursday, May 31, 2007. Police have seized more than 40,000 tubes of a Chinese...   (Associated Press)
Chinese made Mr. Cool children's toothpaste is displayed for the camera at the customs office in Managua, Thursday, May 31, 2007. Police have seized more than 40,000 tubes of a Chinese made toothpaste...   (Associated Press)
Tubes of Chinese-made Dentamint toothpaste are displayed for the camera at the Health Ministry in Managua, Saturday, June 9, 2007. Police have seized more than 40,000 tubes of toothpaste suspected of...   (Associated Press)
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China  • Florida  • food  • Georgia  • safety  • food safety  • chemicals  • contamination  • toothpaste  • tainted toothpaste


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