Japan is stirring the pot 🍲 as health authorities swoop in on Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's factory amidst a growing health scare! 🚨
On Sunday, Japan's health ministry and local officials rolled up their sleeves 👨🔬👩🔬 and conducted an on-site inspection at Kobayashi Pharma's facility in Wakayama. This move comes after supplements containing red yeast rice, known as \"beni-koji,\" have been linked to several health issues.
The joint investigation aims to get to the bottom of why these popular supplements are causing a ruckus 🤔. So far, the numbers are alarming: five reported deaths 💔, over 100 hospitalizations 🏥, and nearly 700 people seeking medical advice 🩺. Yikes!
The supplement in question is Beni-koji Choleste Help, marketed as a natural way to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Sounds good, right? Well, not so much anymore. The product was manufactured at the company's Osaka factory, which, fun fact, was shut down in December 2023 🚧.
But wait, there's more! The Wakayama factory in Kinokawa City, where equipment from the Osaka factory was relocated after its closure, has been busy producing raw materials for these supplements.
This inspection marks the second day in a row that Kobayashi Pharma is under the microscope 🔬. On Saturday, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) paid a visit to the Osaka facility.
So what's causing the health issues? An unintended component called \"puberulic acid,\" derived from blue mold, has been detected in the supplements. According to the MHLW and the company, this substance is a potent antibacterial and antimalarial agent that can be toxic. Yikes again! 😬 But how much of it is bad for you? That's still a mystery.
Beni-koji Choleste Help hit the shelves in February 2021 and has been a hit, selling around 1 million packages by the end of February this year 📈.
The widening health problems have people pointing fingers 👈 at Kobayashi Pharma for their slow response. It took them about two months after receiving health damage reports to announce a voluntary recall. Not cool.
Now, the recall has gone nationwide 🌐, affecting various products containing beni-koji, including sake, sweets 🍰, bread 🥖, and miso soup 🍲. Talk about a domino effect!
Reports also revealed that Kobayashi Pharmaceutical had supplied the fermented red yeast rice to 52 manufacturers. That's a lot of products to track down!
Stay tuned as we keep an eye on this developing story 👀. If you're using any of these supplements, better check in with your doc ASAP! 🩺💡
Reference(s):
Japan inspects another Kobayashi Pharma factory amid health scare
cgtn.com
