Diethylene glycol

Diethylene glycol is a toxic industrial solvent that has caused mass poisonings when fraudulently substituted for glycerin in medicines, toothpaste and wines. It damages the kidneys and nervous system, and even small amounts are dangerous. Food safety systems guard against it through supplier verification, glycerin purity testing and strict separation of industrial chemicals from food ingredients. Its history of adulteration tragedies makes it a textbook case for why ingredient authentication matters. Procurement teams treat glycerin as a high-risk ingredient, auditing suppliers and testing every incoming lot for purity.