By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Authorities of the National Animal Health Service, known as SENASA, for its acronym in Spanish, alerted on Monday about the illegal sale of pet products without registration from the Ministry of Health.

According to the service, illegal products have the PetCare and Agrytop brand, like shampoo or other care products for pets. They are being sold on social networks without being duly registered in the country, it said.

Due to the lack of information on the substances that contain these products, the authorities warn that "they can cause damage to your pet such as poisonings, allergic reactions, eye irritation and hair loss, among others."

The specialists of the organization give the following recommendations to pet owners:

- Do not buy pet products in stores that do not show the authorization issued by SENASA.

- Do not buy veterinary drugs or cosmetic products that do not have the corresponding record of the Ministry of Agriculture and SENASA.

- If you have questions about the legality of a product, you can enter the list of products legally registered by SENASA, on the website Senasa.go.cr

- Report any suspected sale of illegal pet products to the line (506) 2587-1600

According to SENASA, people or companies found guilty of selling illegal pet products could be jailed.




Related to recent illegal products found in the country, in this case for humans, the Ministry of Health, issued an on two types of Colgate brand toothpaste, as A.M. Costa Rica reported Oct.9.

The ministry reported that complaints were received from citizens about the presence of fake products in Costa Rica, mostly in small grocery stores.

The agents of the ministry made the seizures of the fake Colgate products at the places where the complaints had been reported. Then the Laboratory of Analysis and Pharmaceutical Counseling confirmed that the product contains an ingredient, known as diethylene glycol or SDR, which is not declared on the product labeling and that may be harmful to health, the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the SDR is a compound that is used as an antifreeze and sometimes as a glycerin replacement thickener. It is rapidly absorbed through the digestive and respiratory tract and by prolonged skin contact.

"Central American health regulations prohibit the use of SDRs in cosmetic products," said the ministry in its statement.

Also, the company Colgate Costa Rica confirmed that counterfeit products were found and said the fakes display the following two characteristics:

- The production lot number is L9099GT1025.

- The expiration date on the box is 04/22, which means April 2022.

According to the company Colgate-Palmolive, all original toothpaste is valid for two years from the date of manufacture. "This allows us to recognize fake products because they indicate expiration in 2022," said the company in its statement.

Other features associated with the counterfeit product, according to Colgate are:

- The mentholated taste is a little noticeable.

- The taste and smell are strange and do not match the smell of the original products.

- The consistency of toothpaste is very viscous.

- The tube of more inflexible and display records of the lot code in the front part. The original version displays the lot code in the back part.

- It is more difficult to open the case because it was sealed with silicone.

- The colors of the box are more blurred and not as bright as in the original box.

Due to the risk to the health of consumers, ministry specialists recommend:

- Do not sell, buy or use the products with the characteristics indicated above.

- In case of suspicion of a false toothpaste, deliver the product to the Ministry of Health.

- Those with a suspicion that fake products are in their community can make a complaint to (506) 2223-0333.

The A.M. Costa Rica staff request readers to share this alert with their contacts.




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Have you heard of illegal products being sold in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com

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