China's Communist Party called Saturday for timely tests and improved production standards to ensure the safety of toothpaste, indicating the country is pushing forward its campaign to combat growing international alarm over Chinese food and drugs, according to AP. Some brands of Chinese toothpaste have been found to contain diethylene glycol, or DEG, a chemical used to make anti-freeze. DEG is a thickening agent that is also used as a low-cost _ and sometimes deadly _ substitute for glycerin, a sweetener in many drugs. -- SPA
