China Begins Investigation Into Reports of Tainted Toothpaste

中国开始调查牙膏可能含毒报导

Chinese officials have begun an investigation into reports that toothpaste produced in China and exported to Panama and other Central American countries contains a potentially deadly chemical.

A statement posted Wednesday on a government website said investigators are pursuing leads in both Beijing and the eastern province of Jiangsu. The statement said the government has formed a task force of customs and food safety officials.

Authorities in Panama and the Dominican Republic have pulled tens of thousands of tubes of Chinese-made toothpaste from stores after it was discovered to contain diethylene glycol - an ingredient commonly used in antifreeze.

Last year, diethylene glycol was mistakenly mixed with cough syrup in Panama. The mix-up killed at least 51 people. No deaths have been reported in connection with the toothpaste.

有报导说，中国官员已经开始调查有关在中国生产并出口到巴拿马等中美洲国家的牙膏含有可致命化学物质的报导。

星期三公布在中国政府一个网站上的声明说，调查人员在北京和东部省份江苏追查有关线索。声明说，政府成立了一个由海关和食品安全官员组成的行动小组。

巴拿马和多米尼加共和国当局已经从商店中撤出数以万计筒中国产牙膏。此前，一些牙膏中发现含有二甘醇，一种防冻剂中常用的成分。

去年，二甘醇在巴拿马被错误地同止咳糖浆混在了一起。那次混合事件造成至少51人丧生。目前还没有出现与牙膏有关的死亡报导。