😱 Health alert! Japan is buzzing after reports that five people have died from consuming red yeast rice supplements produced by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. 📢
According to Japan's TV Asahi, the number of hospitalizations suspected to be linked to these supplements has climbed to 93. Talk about a major crisis! 🏥
Atsushi Osanai, a professor at Waseda University, told China Media Group that this incident has seriously shaken public confidence. \"The Osaka plant involved has halted production, making it tough to investigate the cause,\" he said. \"Such issues highlight problems in crisis management. Strict safety control is essential, and this situation hurts trust in the whole system.\" 🧐
Osanai emphasized that the company needs to consider the global impact: \"We must protect the health of as many people as possible. Problems know no borders.\" 🌏
Since the issue surfaced on March 22, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has received over 12,000 consumer inquiries. Other companies using red yeast rice from Kobayashi are also recalling products. 😬
FamilyMart, a popular convenience store chain, announced recalls of fried rice and two other food items containing the affected ingredient. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is urging the food and logistics sectors to help with the recalls. 🍱🚚
This incident is a wake-up call on food safety, reminding us all to stay informed and cautious about what we consume. Stay safe out there! 🙏
Reference(s):
'Red yeast rice incident' induces crisis of confidence: expert
cgtn.com
