A government inspection has revealed a banned substance in six types of toothpaste imported from China by the Aekyung Industrial Company.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on Tuesday that its inspection found triclosan, an antibacterial and antifungal agent that is banned in South Korea, in 87 percent of the inspected 2080 brand toothpaste products. 

The ministry found triclosan at levels of up to zero-point-16 percent in toothpaste products for 754 of the 870 manufacturing lot numbers sampled.

All six types of imported toothpaste have been manufactured in China since February 2023. 

So far, around 25 million tubes are estimated to have been sold in South Korea. 

Meanwhile, the ministry also inspected 128 varieties of domestically produced 2080 toothpaste and found no traces of triclosan.

Experts say toothpaste containing triclosan at levels of zero-point-three percent or less is not considered a health risk.