Tom's of Maine toothpaste was manufactured with water containing bacteria, while a "black mold-like substance" was found in a factory where the product was made, according to a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The November 5 letter stated that Tom's Simply White Clean Mint toothpaste contained Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a germ that can cause infections in the blood and lungs, the FDA letter said. The FDA letter also flagged another bacteria, Ralstonia insidiosa, which was found in water sources at the factory and has been linked to infections acquired in hospital settings. Another Tom's of Maine product, Wicked Cool! Anticavity Toothpaste, was found to include another type of bacteria, Paracoccus yeei, the letter stated.
The latter has been linked to infections such as peritonitis and conjunctivitis. Tom's of Maine, which markets its products as made with "safe and hardworking natural ingredients," manufactures a host of personal hygiene products, from toothpaste to deodorant. The company was bought by Colgate-Palmolive in 2006.
In a statement emailed to CBS News, Tom's of Maine said that the company is working with the FDA to remedy the issues found during the agency's May inspection of its Sanford, Maine-based manufacturing plant. "We have always tested finished goods before they leave our control, and we remain fully confident in the safety and quality of the toothpaste we make," Tom's of Maine said in the statement. "In addition, we have engaged wat.
