TheStar.com - News - New warning issued for Indian toothpaste New warning issued for Indian toothpaste
Harmful bacteria found after earlier discovery of poisonous ingredient
Aug 25, 2007 04:30 AM
Iain Marlow
Staff Reporter
A popular brand of toothpaste imported from India contains dangerously high levels of harmful bacteria, Health Canada says.
Yesterday's warning comes a month after the agency revealed Neem Active Toothpaste with Calcium also contains a poison used in antifreeze.
Tejinder Narula, owner of Bombay Grocers in Mississauga, stopped selling the toothpaste last week after a customer mentioned the earlier warning.
"I use it myself. For 10 years," Narula said.
Yesterday, several Indian grocers in Toronto said they too heard of the earlier Health Canada warning only from customers.
Health Canada scientists discovered the bacteria during tests conducted after they found the syrupy poison diethylene glycol in the toothpaste made by Calcutta Chemical Co.
The bacteria pose "additional significant health risks, especially to children and individuals with compromised immune systems."
A woman at the Indian Bazaar in Etobicoke initially said they sell Neem toothpaste but, after being told of the warning, added "Now it's, uh, not for sale."
Accidentally swallowing the toothpaste could result in "fever, urinary tract infection, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain," Health Canada said.
Throughout the summer, there have been numerous warnings about counterfeit or poisonous toothpaste, many of them imported from China.
The Canadian government, through Health Canada, has issued an additional warning to Canadians not to use ''Neem Active Toothpaste with Calcium'', as testing revealed the presence of high levels of harmful bacteria. The same brand of toothpaste was subject to a recall July 26, 2007 when it was found to contain unacceptable levels of diethylene glycol (DEG).

Health Canada has advised Canadians to discontinue use of the toothpaste, which is manufactured by Calcutta Chemical Co. Ltd. in India, and keep it out of the reach of children. The toothpaste is not approved for sale in Canada, but has been found in stores across the country.

Although the species of bacteria found was not revealed by Health Canada, they described possible adverse effects such as "fever, urinary tract infection, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain." A specific warning focused on particularly vulnerable groups; infants, children and hospitalised patients with compromised immune systems. 

This current warning from Health Canada follows a similar recall of toothpaste from China, including some counterfeit Colgate brands, which were found to contain DEG and high levels of harmful bacteria.

To obtain more information on the most recent warning, consumers are advised to call Health Canada’s public enquiries line at 1-866-225-0709.