A tragic incident involving red yeast rice supplements has shaken consumer confidence in Japan. According to Japan's TV Asahi, five individuals have died after consuming beni-koji, a supplement produced by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical.
Atsushi Osanai, a professor at Waseda University, highlighted the severity of the situation in an interview with China Media Group. He stated, \"The Osaka plant involved in the case has halted its production. Investigating the causal relationship is challenging at this stage. However, as a pharmaceutical company, such issues indicate deeper problems in crisis management. This incident undermines trust in the entire system.\"
Osanai emphasized the importance of safeguarding public health, noting that \"problems know no borders. The company must address the impacts both domestically and internationally.\"
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reported that since the issue surfaced on March 22, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has received 12,000 inquiries from concerned consumers. Additionally, 93 patients are suspected of requiring hospitalization due to the contaminated supplements.
The fallout from this incident extends beyond Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, leading to increased product recalls by other companies using red yeast rice raw materials from the manufacturer. On Thursday, FamilyMart announced the recall of its fried rice and two other food products that contained the affected materials.
In response to the escalating situation, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries urged the food and logistics sectors to collaborate in the recall process, aiming to protect consumers and restore confidence in food safety standards.
Reference(s):
'Red yeast rice incident' induces crisis of confidence: expert
cgtn.com
