Panama: toothpaste contains chemical that killed 51 people last year

Health experts confirmed Tuesday that two brands of toothpaste pulled from shelves contain the same chemical that killed at least 51 people in the Central American country last year.

Authorities seized about 50 tubes of toothpaste labeled "Excel" and "Mr. Cool" from a Panama City store last week after a customer noticed their labels said they contained the chemical diethylene glycol. Experts at the University of Panama confirmed through tests that the toothpastes contained about a 2.5 percent level of the chemical.

Health Ministry General Secretary Francisco Sucre said that the levels, "as far we know, don't cause damage," but the ministry urged consumers not to use the products.

"This toxic substance should not be in the contents ... of a dental product," the ministry said in a statement. It noted the substance, which is apparently used as a substitute for a more expensive sweetener and thickener, "is prohibited for use in cosmetics, foods and pharmaceuticals."

Government officials are investigating who manufactured the products and where they were made _ information not listed on the toothpaste tubes' labels _ as well as how they got into the country.

Authorities temporarily closed the Panama City store that sold the toothpastes. However, the country's customs director, Daniel Delgado, said Tuesday that the products entered Panama legally with an authorization seal from the Health Ministry.

Starting in October, 51 people _ and as many as 100 _ died after taking medicine contaminated with diethylene glycol. The substance was found in cough syrup, antihistamine tablets, calamine lotion and rash ointment made in a Panama government laboratory from a falsely labeled shipment workers thought was glycerin.

Some manufacturers have been accused of using diethylene glycol to substitute glycerin, which is often processed from animal fats and occurs naturally in the human body. The sweet liquid can thicken cough syrup and other remedies while preventing them from dissolving in water, and is used in a variety of medicines worldwide.