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Tainted Toothpaste Took an Unchecked Route

SpringFresh toothpaste, one of more than 12 Chinese-made toiletries that have been found to contain a toxic chemical used to make antifreeze, followed an unchecked route from a Chinese factory to the United States.

Between 2006 and 2007, 17 shipments of SpringFresh toothpaste were shipped from China to the U.S. ports of Tacoma or Seattle, according to research commissioned by the Associated Press. Importing business American Amenities received the shipments, some of which were slated for Georgia prisons.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for inspecting toothpaste, has seven full-time inspectors at the Seattle port and three in Tacoma, they did not test the toothpaste at that time.

It was only after seeing news reports about the antifreeze chemical diethylene glycol -- or DEG -- being found in toothpaste in Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Australia that the FDA checked into things. After testing 140 samples of Chinese-made toothpastes from retailers, importers, and distributors, they found  38 percent contained DEG.

SpringFresh did not make the initial warning list issued by the FDA, however American Amenities did their own testing and found the chemical in some of their products. Later, FDA tests found one tube contained 6 percent DEG, one of the highest levels found in the United States.

Chinese Officials Allow up to 15.6 Percent DEG in Toothpaste

In the United States, only trace amounts of DEG are allowed in toothpaste. However, in China toothpaste may contain up to 15.6 percent DEG and still be considered safe.

The Chinese plant that manufactured SpringFresh substituted DEG for another, more expensive, sweetener in the toothpaste.

The FDA maintains that even the recalled toothpaste does not contain enough DEG to cause serious health problems, even in children. Using figures based on a 6-ounce tube of toothpaste that contained 3 percent DEG, they say a 150-pound adult would have to eat 175 tubes to receive a fatal dose; a child would have to eat 25 tubes.

In 1937, at least 105 people died in the United States after taking a medication that contained DEG. Just last year, at least 90 people died in Panama from cough syrup and other medication tainted with DEG.

About 60 percent of all U.S. consumer-product recalls are now related to Chinese goods.

Yahoo News August 9, 2007



Dr. Mercola''s Comments Dr. Mercola's Comments:

China’s economy has been growing at a rate of nearly 10 percent annually for the last 30 years, largely because they are exporting massive amounts of products across the globe.

They’re widely known for producing affordable (cheap) goods, and in the past year alone have made quite the name for themselves as a producer of toxic goods as well. Along with the tainted toothpaste, the United States has been grappling with a string of toxic disasters in the last year alone:
  • Pet food ingredients laced with toxic melamine
  • Imported livestock quarantined for disease and banned chemical contaminants
  • Catfish fillets from Chinese aquatic farms tainted with bacteria and heavy metals
  • Dried apples preserved with a cancer-causing chemical
  • Mushrooms laced with illegal pesticides
When any type of problem occurs, everyone starts wondering who to hold accountable. And these continuous problems with tainted food and toiletries does beg the question, whose fault is it? In the case of the toxic toothpaste is it …
  • China’s, for manufacturing toothpaste with cheap and toxic ingredients?
  • The importer’s, for purchasing the toothpaste without knowing what’s in it?
  • The FDA’s, for not inspecting the shipments when they arrived in U.S. ports?
  • The consumer’s, for purchasing it?
Or, perhaps a much larger, much more foundational shift in values throughout the world is to blame. In China, most of the people are not benefiting from the economic explosion. They are losing their connection to ancient traditions in exchange for a piece of the "good life," which never materializes.

In the United States, most are also not benefiting from the massive influx of cheap goods. You may be able to buy toothpaste for under a dollar, but at what expense to your health? Meanwhile, corporate entities, like Wal-Mart -- the largest food retailer in the United States, and China’s eighth-largest trading partner -- are profiting handsomely.

It is clear that profits are winning out over quality and, often, ethics, when it comes to the majority of goods on the market. This is why small mom-and-pop shops have been shut down by mega-retailers like Wal-Mart, and huge factory-farms have beat out small family farms across the countryside.

It is also clear, and has been for some time, that the FDA cannot, or will not, protect you from toxic foods, toiletries, or medications. After all, while many are pointing fingers at China, it's easy to overlook the fact that the United States has its own issues with adding potentially dangerous compounds to foods. Most toothpaste on the market in the United States, for instance, would not receive my seal of approval because  they contain fluoride, artificial sweeteners, and triclosan. Further, the vast majority of personal care products in the United States are NOT tested for safety.

There is a silver lining among all of these dark clouds, though. Increasing numbers of people in the United States and elsewhere are looking to return to traditional ways. This is evidenced by growing movements in community-supported agriculture programs, increased awareness about the benefits of natural foods like raw milk, and the popularity of organic foods and health food markets.

You may not be able to control what China puts into their food supply and toiletries -- or what the United States puts into theirs, for that matter -- but you can return to a more natural lifestyle by seeking out locally grown food and even simple hand-made (or homemade) toiletries. By getting to know the people who grow and make the products you buy (at least a good portion of them), you can have peace of mind and not worry about whether or not the FDA is doing their job.

With respect to toothpaste though I am actually planning to provide a great tasting novel health toothpaste that has never been introduced anywhere in the world before. I just got the idea last week after reviewing some new exciting research that proved this tasty treat is 400% stronger than fluoride in preventing cavities.  I am working with a company now that plans on bringing it to market.


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Comment on This Article Community Comments (36)
 
 
Posted On Aug 13, 2007
Why I want to know is, why was Panama the one who discovered the poisoned toothpaste? We would never have reacted if we had not seen the news item from - gasp! - Panama. More proof that the FDA is useless at what it was designed to do: protect us from harm.

 
Islander
Moderator User Moderator User, Joined On 3/2007
Islander  
Replied

Reesacat
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 1/2007
Reesacat  
 
Posted On Aug 13, 2007
Excellent question.


shiva
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 10/2006
shiva  
 
Posted On Aug 13, 2007
Well actually,... the new designed purpose of the FDA is to protect the corporate interest. .... and it's doing it's job quite well indeed.


donnawilshire
Novice User Novice User Joined On 6/2006
donnawilshire  
 
Posted On Aug 30, 2007

I brush my teeth with salt and baking soda, sometimes just the salt.  Works wonderfully.

Gramma in New Jersey



dadelp_203
Novice User Novice User Joined On 7/2007
dadelp_203  
 
Posted On Aug 30, 2007

Islander - you are more accurate about the FDA than what you probably know. Having a child damaged by vaccines (mercury toxic a.k.a. autistic), I have seen for about 7 years (since his diagnosis) just how bad the FDA does its job. Add the conflict of interest in regards to medications and vaccines and we are virtually on our own.

As to this latest scandal with China all I can say is this is what happens when our government decided (during the Clinton administration and continued to be a practice during the current one)to out-source American jobs. The ones who suffer the most (yet again) are the regular every day Joes, first by having our jobs stolen and now be being poisoned because there is no quality control (obviously)in these other countries.

Be At Peace,

Deborah A Delp

Mother of:

Samantha (13, Mercury Toxic)

JR (10 VERY Mercury Toxic)

E-Mail Me @ delpfamily@kuhncom.net

Phone: 717-440-5341

Autism & Vaccinations

health.groups.yahoo.com/.../autism_and_vaccinations

MY SPACE

www.myspace.com/ladygrace924



LoriJean
Novice User Novice User Joined On 5/2008
LoriJean  
 
Posted On Apr 14, 2009

Has anyone ever heard of   MELALEUCA????   Also has anyone ever heard of not going to have vaccinations, when in doubt of causing such horrible things as autism etc.?????  I could tell stories of my mother-in-law, 90 years old, not on any medications whatsoever, arteries clear as a bell, and has never had a vaccination for anything, and we need to make appointments to visit her and phone her, and why?????????  She is never home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She is in a weekly exercise class, babysits her 2 1/2 year old   GREAT-granddaughter, and keeps up to   EVERYONE!!  She also takes Melaleuca vitamins which keep her going.


 
 
 
Posted On Aug 13, 2007
Brand Ad Copy Recently Found:

"Yes, from the country who brought you Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution, and at least 100 Million DEAD, 'SpringFresh'  Toothpaste!!!"

To the stolen Producers musical theme: "Spring Time For Mao & China! ..."

"It whitens (cadaver like appearance merely coincidental) it slices, it dices, it defoliates, it's a paint stripper,  an herbicide, a pesticide, a carcinogen; why SpringFresh has so many useful applications, we don't know them all ourselves...!!!!"

"Any similarity to Weapons Of Mass Destruction are merely a figment of your over stimulated round-eye imperialist devil minds." 

"The makers of SpringFresh are peace loving celestial internal empire (yeah, right) building peoples; salt (hey, is that a cheap filler?) of the earth; who are family loving (until you have more than one child); and adhere to the strictest ethical standards (will shoot the head of our FDA taking bribes and bill the family for the bullet, but ignore the next 140,000 party members on the take)."

"Remember, when you don't need health, or teeth, ask for SpringFresh!"


 
Russ Bianchi
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 9/2006
Russ Bianchi  
 
 
 
Posted On Aug 30, 2007

The FDA will never protect the consumer - their sole interest is in protecting and increasing the profits of big business (and for themselves, of course).  These other countries in it to make money for themselves at the cheapest possible cost, and that means using toxic ingredients.   The makers of these products (and sadly, this is often true in the US too) DO NOT CARE about your health and well-being, folks.  Your best - and possibly only - defense is to educate yourself about what you should and should not be putting into and onto your body, and to find sources for healthy products that you know you can trust.  No small task sometimes, but well worth the effort.

I have to say I'm sick to death of seeing all the products that are imported from some other countries these days, and all the services that are being outsourced to - wherever - by large American companies.  Meanwhile our economy at home gets worse.  HELLOOOOOO ... can you say "give these jobs to Americans" and "use American made products"?  I'm well aware that there are many toxic products and foods produced in this country as well, but I still think we'd be better off producing them ourselves.  The greed of large corporations in this country is driving us into the ground, both financially and health-wise.  Eventually (and probably closer to happening than many might think), we're going to get to a point where so much damage has been done to the econony as well as to our envirionment, that we won't ever be able to repair it.  

Think about these things next time you're about to purchase something made anywhere but the USA, and educate yourself about the miriad of toxins out there so that you can avoid them!


 
kurlikew7764
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 10/2006
kurlikew7764  
Replied

katieannpc
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 2/2007
katieannpc  
 
Posted On Aug 30, 2007

You are right.....it's sad that we have gone so very far away from the country we were after WWII. We used to make most of our goods - now even our military goods are outsourced....and then they cry out that government secrets have been stolen - is stupidity really this rampid???? It just makes my brain hurt .........


 
 
 
Posted On Aug 30, 2007

China adds the toxins to make more and cheaper products, Wal-Mart markets them cheaply and bountifully.  Even if our government agencies aren't paying attention, Wal-Mart is.  They don't care, though, about the product or it's safety.  They just wanna make a buck.  The Walton family members are now rated #2, #3, #4 and #5 richest people in the world.  Any more questions?


 
boo boo
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 5/2007
boo boo  
 
 
 
Posted On Aug 30, 2007

It seems now a days that greed surpasses human morality and basic human rights.  If you read the "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" you will realize just how accurate Russ's comments are.

Please sign a petition to help stop human rights violations in China, with the theme that "Olympics and Crimes Against Humanity Cannot Co-exist in China." The human rights torch is a symbol of peace, justice and freedom; the first flame was lit on August 9, 2007 in Athens, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics.

www.humanrightstorch.org


 
FalunDafaPractitioner
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 8/2007
FalunDafaPractitioner  
 
 
 
 
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