Aekyung Industry to Voluntarily Recall 25 Million Toothpaste Units Over Suspected Preservative Contamination

On January 13, 2026, Aekyung Industry voluntarily began recalling six types of Chinese-made toothpaste found to contain triclosan, a preservative ingredient. It has been confirmed that approximately 25 million units potentially containing the problematic substance are currently in circulation.

According to Aekyung Industry's own investigation, triclosan, which has been banned from use in oral care products, was found in products manufactured since April 2023.

The total volume of the affected products amounts to about 31 million units. Of these, 6 million are stored at Aekyung Industry's logistics center, meaning 25 million units have already been distributed to the market.

However, about 82% of the distributed units are small-sized products, such as single-use 4g packs and 20g or 50g packages.

Aekyung Industry explained that not all products manufactured after April 2023 were found to contain triclosan, but since the substance was detected in some products from that point onwards, the company has suspended the release of all inventory and decided to voluntarily recall all distributed products.

The products subject to voluntary recall include 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.'

These products are manufactured by Domy in China and imported and sold by Aekyung Industry.

The concentration of triclosan detected in the recalled products was found to be up to 0.15% or less.

Aekyung Industry reported that, according to Domy, the inclusion of triclosan was due to incomplete separation of production processes, which may have led to cross-contamination of materials and equipment. Additionally, cleaning and disinfection of equipment and pipes were not thoroughly conducted, and triclosan was used during the disinfection process of the cleaning water system.

However, Aekyung Industry stated that this explanation was insufficient and has requested further clarification.

Triclosan is a preservative ingredient used to prevent products from spoiling easily. Its use in oral care products has been banned in South Korea since October 2016. In Europe, its use in toothpaste is permitted at concentrations of 0.3% or less.

Aekyung Industry emphasized that, aside from the six recalled types, all other toothpaste products are manufactured domestically and have no issues with quality or ingredients.

The company acknowledged that triclosan is not included in the legal inspection items and, therefore, was not checked in each lot test, admitting there were shortcomings in management. Aekyung Industry stated that, in response to this incident, it will thoroughly review the entire production process to prevent recurrence.