Counterfeit (knockoff) Colgate Toothpaste from South Africa is Toxic

When the FDA first reported toxic substances in off-brand toothpaste coming from China, it was bad enough. Now counterfeit Colgate toothpaste with the same toxic substance (DEG) is being imported from South Africa.

Some of this counterfeit Colgate toxic toothpaste has been found in "dollar type" stores in the United States.

Reuters is reporting:

Colgate-Palmolive Co. on Thursday said counterfeit "Colgate" toothpaste that maycontain a toxic chemical had been found in discount stores in four U.S. states.

"There are indications that this product does not contain fluoride and may containdiethylene glycol," the company said in a statement.

Colgate-Palmolive said it does not use, nor has ever used, diethylene glycol as an ingredient in its toothpaste anywhere in the world. The chemical, known as DEG and sometimes illegally used as an inexpensive sweetener and thickening agent, is commonly found in solvents and antifreeze.

The four states, where this has been found are:

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland. It can be recognized because it is labeled as being manufactured in South Africa, and the company does not import toothpaste to the United States from South Africa.

Reuters story, here.

The FDA issued a press release about this issue, here.

Counterfeit merchandise is a $600 billion a year problem. Besides, financial impact, the trade can threaten our personal safety, also!

The INTERNATIONAL ANTICOUNTERFEITING COALITION website is a great resource to learn about the issue of counterfeiting. They sum up the problem on their site when they state:

It is estimated that counterfeiting is a $600 billion a year problem. In fact, it's a problem that has grown over 10,000 percent in the past two decades, in part fueled by CONSUMER DEMAND.

The real truth is people who purchase counterfeit merchandise risk funding nefarious activities, contributing to unemployment, creating budget deficits and compromising the future of this country in the global economy.

The real truth is counterfeiters are hardened criminals, exploiting consumers, businesses both large and small, inventors and artists and children laboring in sweatshops in Third World countries.

Here is the post, I did about the Chinese toothpaste that is toxic:

The new red menace, global commerce from China