Nigerian authorities are cracking down on all foreign-manufactured toothpaste following the discovery of a harmful agent in a Chinese-made brand.
National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control says it has found anti-freezing agent diethylene glycol (DEG) in Chinese-made Colgate.

All retailers are to destroy all foreign-manufactured toothpastes on their shelves, Nafdac says.

Retailers who fail to destroy the illegal toothpaste will be prosecuted.

Nafdac says DEG can cause abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, damage to kidneys and liver and, if ingested in large amounts, can be fatal.

The agency warned Nigerians not to patronise any foreign-manufactured toothpaste as it cannot guarantee their safety.

"No foreign toothpaste is registered for use in Nigeria," Nafdac head Dora Akunyili said.

"Only made in Nigeria toothpastes are safe for public use."

There are no known cases of people falling sick after using foreign-made toothpastes in Nigeria.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6949294.stm