Gilchrist & Soames Initiates Urgent Worldwide Toothpaste Voluntary Recall

Gilchrist & Soames Initiates Urgent Worldwide Toothpaste Voluntary
Recall


Contact:
Cindy Duran, Borshoff Johnson Matthews
(317) 631-6400, ext. 237


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Indianapolis, IN -- August 13, 2007 --
Gilchrist & Soames, an Indianapolis-based provider of toiletry products
for the hotel industry, has initiated a worldwide voluntary recall of
its Gilchrist & Soames 0.65oz/18ml toothpaste manufactured in China for
the company by Ming Fai Enterprises International Co., LTD, after
independent tests showed some samples of the toothpaste contained
diethylene glycol, or DEG.

The United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") is not aware of
any U.S. reports of poisonings from toothpaste containing DEG. However,
the agency is concerned about potential risks from chronic exposure to
DEG and exposure to DEG in certain populations, such as children and
individuals with kidney or liver disease. DEG in toothpaste has a low
but meaningful risk of toxicity and injury to these populations.
Toothpaste is not intended to be swallowed, but FDA is concerned about
unintentional swallowing or ingestion of toothpaste containing DEG. This
voluntary recall is being conducted in cooperation with the FDA. The
Company also has notified the Department for Business, Enterprise and
Regulatory Reform in the UK to enable it to notify the European
Commission to launch a RAPEX notification in the European Union.

Hotels in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Barbados,
Dominican Republic or Turks & Caicos that received the recalled
toothpaste from the company's United States distribution center, and
those located in the U.K., Ireland, Spain, Belgium, France, Italy,
Germany, Switzerland and the UAE serviced by the company's U.K.
distribution center, are being asked to destroy any remaining inventory.


Hotel guests, who may have received the recalled toothpaste from hotels
in any of these countries, should safely dispose of it.

"After receiving the FDA alert June 1 about tainted toothpaste
manufactured in China, we immediately contacted our two Chinese
toothpaste suppliers and initiated a series of independent lab tests in
both Hong Kong and the United States to determine the possible presence
of DEG," said Kathie De Voe, president of Gilchrist & Soames.

At the same time, Gilchrist & Soames stopped all outgoing shipments and
quarantined all of its "Made in China" toothpaste. The Company also
communicated with all of its hotel clients and suggested that they stop
offering Chinese-made Gilchrist & Soames toothpaste to their guests
until further investigation and independent testing by Gilchrist &
Soames and the FDA. The June 1 FDA Consumer Alert was attached. The
Company took these steps even though its toothpaste was not among those
cited in the FDA warning.

De Voe said, "The fifth round of our independent lab tests showed the
presence of DEG in some samples at levels exceeding FDA guidelines from
one of our China suppliers. We immediately began the process of
initiating a voluntary recall of our complimentary-sized (.65oz/18ml)
Gilchrist & Soames toothpaste. We want to ensure that any contaminated
toothpaste is safely disposed of and/or destroyed."

Gilchrist & Soames is notifying its hotel clients in those countries
where the toothpaste was distributed to discard their inventories. The
Company is working with each hotel on a guest notification program.
Materials will inform guests about this voluntary recall, including the
FDA Web address for current toothpaste recalls
(http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/toothpaste.html), as well as a
toll-free telephone number at Gilchrist & Soames U.S. headquarters
(1-866-587-6542) that hotel guests may call if they desire more
information about the recall. The European Union Web address for further
information about toothpaste manufactured in China is
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives_en.cfm. Local
contact numbers in Europe for Gilchrist & Soames are as follows: Germany
- 004908000004988, Ireland - 00353 1800932251, France - 0033 0805114958,
Spain - 0034800098797, Switzerland - 0041 0800 001285, Hungary - 0036
0680018077, Italy - 0039 800986779, UK - 08003112139, Belgium - 0032
080048630.

De Voe said, "We are thankful that the small size of our tubes
(.65oz/18ml) may help reduce the risk. However, we strongly encourage
consumers to dispose of any of the recalled toothpaste they may still
have."

Gilchrist & Soames is working with its global supply chain partners to
be certain they meet the standards and specifications outlined in its
new testing criteria. New testing to confirm the absence of DEG will be
part of that process. This recall is being conducted with the knowledge
of the FDA, and the European Authorities.