Dangerous Fake Colgate Toothpaste

June 2007

Consumers beware the Colgate toothpaste in your homes – it could be fake toothpaste made with hazardous chemicals. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Colgate-Palmolive Company, and MS USA Trading have announced that counterfeit Colgate products have been discovered in discount stores in four states, including Pennsylvania.

The imitation Colgate toothpaste is sold in 5 oz / 100 ml tubes, labeled as Regular, Gel, Herbal, and Triple varieties. Sold in dollar-type retail outlets, the products may contain diethylene glycol (DEG), a dangerous chemical used in antifreeze and as a solvent. DEG is responsible for the recent recall of many discount toothpaste brands imported from China.

To identify the fake toothpaste, look for labels that read:

• Manufactured in South Africa
• isclinically
• SOUTH AFRLCA
• South African Dental Assoxiation

Colgate-Palmolive does not import toothpaste from South Africa to the United States, nor would the company have any similar misspellings on its official packaging.