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FDA Warns Colgate's Tom's of Maine Over Bacteria-Tainted Toothpaste, Mold Found in Factory

Nov 20, 2024, 02:31 PM

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to Tom's of Maine, a toothpaste manufacturer owned by Colgate-Palmolive, after inspectors found that water contaminated with dangerous bacteria was used in the production of its toothpaste. The FDA's inspection in May uncovered the presence of multiple strains of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause infections, in the water used at the company's facility in Sanford, Maine. Additionally, inspectors found a "black mold-like substance" near production equipment and "powder residues" close to batches of Tom's Silly Strawberry Anticavity toothpaste and Tom's Simply White Clean Mint Paste. Despite these findings, the products were sold to consumers. The FDA noted that Tom's of Maine had ignored approximately 400 complaints related to the color, taste, and odor of its toothpaste.