Toothpaste from China containing the toxic chemical diethylene glycol turned up in a toiletry kit provided by a Jhonghe (中和）hotel, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) said yesterday.
"We found that the toothpaste sample contained as much as 4 percent diethylene glycol," Wang Cheng-huei (
There have been a series of incidents involving diethylene-glycol-tainted toothpastes from China in recent months. The tainted product has surfaced in the US, Costa Rica, Panama and Australia.
However, this is the first time that tainted toothpaste from China has been found in Taiwan.
Wang said the hotel involved was the Jhonghe branch of the Four Points by Sheraton, while the supplier was Mei Li Mei Corp (
seized
More than 1,500 single-use tubes of the toxic toothpaste were seized at the hotel, Wang said. Many more tubes have most likely already been used by guests, he said.
Diethylene glycol is a toxic, industrial chemical that is used in antifreeze. Its chemical properties are similar to glycerine, which is frequently used in toothpaste as a thickening agent.
The use of diethylene glycol in toothpaste is banned in Taiwan.
Although consumption of diethylene glycol is potentially lethal and has caused fatalities in past incidents involving tainted cough syrup, Wang urged the public not to panic.
"We have tested every single toothpaste on the market from China on multiple occasions," Wang said. "We've not yet found any violations [of the ban] until now."
Toothpaste used in toiletry kits may have lower standards, Wang said.
negative publicity
"But I am sure that both the hotel and the supplier will be extra vigilant in the future regarding their sources," Wang said. "The negative publicity is bad for business."
Authorities asked 57 hotels for samples of the toothpaste they provide in their rooms. Forty-seven hotels provided toothpaste samples for the tests, while 10 declined to give samples.
Only the sample from Four Points by Sheraton contained excessive amounts of diethylene glycol.
However, neither the hotel nor the hotel's supplier will face penalties. Nor can the BSMI require hotels to provide toothpaste samples.
"Since it is offered as a gift rather than an item for sale, the hotel [has the right to decline or] agree to provide a sample," Wang said.
Wang said that travelers are advised to bring their own toothpaste when they stay at hotels.
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