Maine
Tom's of Maine toothpaste tainted with bacteria, says U.S. Food and Drug Administration | CBC News
A recent inspection of a Tom’s of Maine facility found that the company’s toothpaste was made using bacteria-tained water, among other serious health violations, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In a warning letter to CEO Noel Wallace, the FDA said the inspection uncovered disease-causing bacteria in water used to make Tom’s Simply White Clean Mint Paste. The water was sampled between June 2021 to Oct. 2022.
The company uncovered a different bacteria in its Wicked Cool! Anticavity Toothpaste, and justified the bacteria as “sample contamination” without sufficient evidence, the FDA said.
An agency investigator also found a mould-like substance near a water storage tank at the company’s facility in Sanford, Maine, and a powdery residue on a surface near a station where Tom’s Silly Strawberry Anticavity was being made.
The FDA letter said that the facility’s water system is inadequate and that the company needs a better complaints system to address consumer concerns.
“For example, approximately 400 complaints related to [odour], [colour], and taste in your toothpaste products, including those for children, were not investigated,” the letter read.
“These complaints are not investigated because your procedure requires an investigation only if a trend is identified.”
The agency added that the violations outlined in the letter were not intended as an exhaustive list, and that it’s the company’s responsibility to identify the cause of violations and prevent them from recurring.
Tom’s of Maine is a natural personal care brand owned by household products giant Colgate-Palmolive. CBC News reached out to the company for a statement.
“We’re working with the FDA and are remedying the issues raised in their May inspection of the Tom’s toothpaste manufacturing plant in Sanford, Maine,” a spokesperson said.
“We have always tested finished goods before they leave our control, and we remain fully confident in the safety and quality of the toothpaste we make.”
CBC News also reached out to several retailers to ask if they carry any of the products mentioned in the letter.
WISCASSET, Maine (WMTW) – A Maine man has been arrested after police say he intentionally set a bed on fire after a dispute with his girlfriend, while they were still in it.
Police responded Monday, March 9, to a report of a fire that had been intentionally set inside a home on Beechnut Hill Road, according to the Wiscasset Police Department.
Investigators say the homeowner, Terry Couture, 41, set the bed on fire following an argument while both he and his girlfriend were in it. Authorities said the fire was extinguished and no serious injuries were reported.
Couture was arrested and charged with attempted murder, arson, aggravated criminal mischief, and domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.
The investigation is ongoing.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
CLIFTON, Maine (WABI) – Maine Maple Sunday is less than two weeks away, and the Williams Family Farm in Clifton is gearing up for one of the sweetest seasons yet.
A long stretch of frost and snow meant a late start this year, but the first boil of sap has finally run through the evaporator, and maple season is officially underway.
At Williams Family Farm, everything is done by hand:
- Fresh maple syrup, bottled on-site
- Maple sugar, carefully extracted in small batches
- Baked candied pecans, cashews, and more
The Williams family has spent years working with whatever weather sends their way.
Long winters, surprise warmups, and everything in between—they’ve learned how to adapt so community members can enjoy their products.
As co-owner John Williams explains, the key is in the temperature.
“You need to have it warm during the day and still freezing at night, so typically that’s the middle of February,” said Williams. “We have a lot of trees, so we have to start tapping them before the conditions are ideal, so we start tapping way before it’s time for it to run just so we can get them all tapped. If you have ten trees in your backyard, you want to wait until roughly now, the middle of February to now, and when it’s actually running and put them in then because you can put all your taps in, in one day.”
They’re excited to welcome the community during Maine Maple Weekend on March 21 and 22.
They will be boiling up sap, hosting demonstrations, and providing free samples.
Locals can also join them for their third annual pancake breakfast where all proceeds are donated to Holbrook Recreation.
Follow the link to find out their hours for March and more.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
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