Aekyung Industrial Co. began a voluntary recall of six types of China-made toothpaste found to contain triclosan, a preservative ingredient banned for use in oral products. The quantity believed to have been distributed that may include the problematic ingredient is estimated at about 25 million units.
According to Aekyung Industrial Co.'s own investigation on the 13th, the presence of triclosan contamination was confirmed in some products manufactured since April 2023. About 31 million units were produced after that point, of which 25 million units, excluding 6 million units kept at logistics centers, have been distributed to the market.
The affected products are six types: "2080 Basic Toothpaste," "2080 Daily Care Toothpaste," "2080 Smart Care Plus Toothpaste," "2080 Classic Care Toothpaste," "2080 Triple Effect Alpha Fresh Toothpaste," and "2080 Triple Effect Alpha Strong Toothpaste." About 82% of the distributed volume consists of small sizes such as 4g single-use or 20g and 50g products. The products are manufactured by Domy in China and have been imported and sold by Aekyung Industrial Co.
Aekyung Industrial Co. said that triclosan was not detected in all products, but since some contamination was confirmed, it decided to stop shipping inventory and proactively recall all distributed quantities.
Triclosan is a preservative ingredient used to prevent product deterioration and has been banned in Korea for use in oral products since Oct. 2016. The concentration confirmed in the recalled products is up to 0.15% or less.
Aekyung Industrial Co. explained that it was informed by Domy of possible cross-contamination due to a lack of separation in the production process, insufficient cleaning and disinfection of equipment and piping, and the potential use of triclosan during disinfection in the wash-water system as possible causes. However, it said the explanation is not sufficient and it has requested further confirmation.
Aekyung Industrial Co. stressed that, apart from the six products subject to the recall, all other toothpaste products are manufactured domestically and have no issues with quality or ingredients. It also acknowledged shortcomings in management, saying triclosan is not a legally mandated inspection item and thus was not detected in tests for each lot, and added it will reexamine the entire production process to prevent a recurrence.