11am Zedlines

This is Ha-Teya and Amy with your 11am Zedlines.

The ingredient Triclosan found in toothpaste, hand wash and cosmetic products has been found to cause antibiotic resistance and build superbugs, according to a Queensland research paper.

Triclosan has been found to ‘accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance’ according to University of Queensland researcher Dr Jianhua (Ji-an-hwa) Guo (gwo).

The ingredient triclosan was banned by US Food and Drug Administration and the European Union in 2010 because it increases antibiotic resistant bacteria which kills 700,000 people per year.

It is recommended consumers check the ingredients list for Triclosan before purchasing toiletries products.