Fact Check: Colour stripes on toothpaste tubes do not indicate ingredients
A WhatsApp message is going viral with a claim that the colour stripes at the bottom of the toothpaste tubes give information on the paste's ingredients.
Hyderabad: A WhatsApp message is going viral with a claim that the colour stripes at the bottom of the toothpaste tubes give information on the paste's ingredients.
We received the viral post on WhatsApp. This post/message has been viral since 2017 as seen here, here, and here.
Fact Check:
The claim is false.
We searched the internet with relevant keywords and found an article on www.healthline.com on the same subject. According to the website, the various colours present on top of the toothpaste help in the manufacturing of the product.
Light beam sensors scan the colour code and feed the machines where to cut, fold and seal the toothpaste tube. These colours are not only limited to blue, green, black and red but different types of colours are used in different machines depending on the sensors in them. All colours have the same meaning.
Explaining the same matter, Colgate, a worldwide consumer goods company that manufactures toothpaste among other products, published an article on their website that the colour code on the toothpaste has nothing to do with the ingredients in it. The article, titled "What is a Toothpaste Color Code?", reads in part: "We're sure you're wondering... why are there colour blocks on toothpaste tubes then?" The article further said that the coloured markers on the toothpaste help during preparation.
The list of ingredients is printed on the top of the toothpaste packet or tube by its manufacturers. For more information about the types and ingredients in toothpaste, read the article written by the Indian Dental Association here.
https://www.ida.org.in/
The technical term for the coloured stripes is registration marks or guides or eye marks as can be seen on these websites and graphic design forums.
https://www.linkedin.com/
https://graphicdesign.
In addition, we found a video, where you can see a step-by-step guide to configuring a packaging machine based on these brands.
Guides of this type can be found on different product packaging, not just toothpaste.
Hence, the claim is false. Colour stripes on toothpaste are not an indication of the ingredients or formula of the toothpaste. They help during the manufacturing process.