Five individuals who ingested a Japanese health supplement have died, and over 100 have been hospitalized as of Friday, a week subsequent to a pharmaceutical company initiating a recall of the products, authorities disclosed.
Criticism has been directed at Osaka-based Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. for not promptly disclosing internally identified issues, dating back to January. The first public announcement was made on March 22.
Initially, the death toll was reported as two individuals. However, company representatives updated the figure to five on Friday, stating that 114 individuals were undergoing treatment in hospitals after consuming products, such as Benikoji Choleste Help, designed to lower cholesterol, containing an ingredient known as benikoji, a type of red mold.
Certain consumers experienced kidney complications after using the supplements, although the precise cause remains under investigation in collaboration with government laboratories, as per the manufacturer.
President Akihiro Kobayashi expressed profound regret to the deceased, the afflicted, and their families during a press briefing on Friday, bowing deeply alongside three other senior company officials.
He extended apologies for the distress caused to the entire health food industry and the medical community, asserting the company’s commitment to averting further harm and enhancing crisis management protocols.
The company’s products, alongside numerous others containing benikoji, including miso paste, crackers, and vinegar dressing, have been recalled. Japan’s health ministry has published a comprehensive list of all recalled products, including those employing benikoji as a food coloring agent.
The ministry cautioned that the death toll could escalate, noting that the supplements were available for purchase at drug stores without a prescription, and some may have been acquired or exported prior to the recall, potentially by unaware tourists.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical had been marketing benikoji products for years, with approximately one million packages sold over the last three fiscal years. However, issues surfaced with supplements manufactured in 2023. The company reported producing 18.5 tons of benikoji last year.
Some analysts attribute the recent deregulation efforts, aimed at expediting approval for health products to stimulate economic growth, as a contributing factor.
