On 5 May 2007, upon purchasing a tube of toothpaste from the Vendela Discount Store in
Panama City, Arias discovered that it contained
diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic substance that had recently caused deaths as an ingredient of cough syrup. On 7 May, Arias reported his findings to the Panamanian Ministry of Health. On 10 May, Camilo Alleyne, the top health official of the Panamanian government announced that DEG had been found in toothpaste being sold in Panama City. A national uproar resulted in an investigation, the results of which indicated that PRC manufacturers were systematically using DEG as a thickening agent (in place of
glycerin, which is more commonly used, but is more expensive) at levels that were far above safety limits. Investigations also indicated that
counterfeiters in the PRC sometimes used false labels for
Colgate and
Sensodyne brands. Despite the PRC's claims that Mainland Chinese consumers had not suffered ill effects from these products, the PRC government did take action to prevent further use of DEG in its exports. Although Arias' discovery led to product recalls and warnings around the world, his contribution was overlooked until an article in
The New York Times appeared on 1 October 2007. ==Later life==