China News Service, Beijing, March 26 (Wei Xianghui) Recently, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, a well-known Japanese pharmaceutical company, has attracted attention due to health problems arising from the red yeast ingredient health products produced by the company.

1 person died and 50 people were hospitalized

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical recalls multiple products containing red yeast ingredients

　　On the 26th local time, the Japanese pharmaceutical company Kobayashi Pharmaceutical announced that a person died of kidney disease after taking a health product produced by the company containing red yeast rice ingredients. The causal relationship between the consumer's death and the consumption of the product is under investigation.

　　According to CCTV News, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company announced on the 26th local time that it had received the latest notification of about 50 people being hospitalized after taking the company’s health products containing red yeast rice ingredients.

　　Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company has announced an emergency recall of products containing related ingredients.

　　On the evening of the 22nd, President Kobayashi Pharmaceutical held a press conference and bowed and apologized for this issue. According to Japanese media reports, analysis results on the 16th of this month showed that some red yeast raw materials may contain unknown ingredients, but the company did not announce the recall until the 22nd. In this regard, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical President admitted that decision-making was slow.

  Screenshot of related product recalls announced on the official website of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Japan

Purchased products can be returned

Chinese companies respond

　　On the 22nd, the official website of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical China also issued the "Notice on Stopping the Use of Hongji Cholesterol Granules and Voluntary Recall", stating that "some affected products are sold to mainland China through cross-border channels." At the same time, it said that "the specific nature of this ingredient and its correlation with kidney disease and other problems have not yet been determined. However, for the purpose of protecting the health of consumers, we have decided to voluntarily recall products related to red koji ingredients."

　　Chinanews.com noted that on Chinese e-commerce platforms, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s official stores on Tmall, JD.com and Pinduoduo are currently unable to search for Hongqu cholesterol granules.

　　On the 26th, China News Network called Kobayashi Pharmaceutical to inquire about the recall process. The other party said that products purchased at overseas flagship stores on Tmall, JD.com, and Pinduoduo can be returned through official channels.

　　For the products purchased on behalf of the company, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical staff said that they can send the actual products back. After the company verifies that they are genuine products, they will refer to the price on the Japanese official website for refunds. The deadline for recalling products has not yet been clarified. The staff said, "This is a long-term plan."

  Screenshot from the official website of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical China

80% of raw materials are sold externally

Many companies in Japan are affected

　　Kobayashi Pharmaceutical is a long-established Japanese pharmaceutical company with a history of more than 100 years. The company said that red yeast rice is a raw material produced by mixing steamed rice with Monascus bacteria and fermenting it. The company touts the ingredient's potential to lower LDL cholesterol values.

　　According to Japanese media reports, "Red Koji Cholesterol Granules" have been sold on e-commerce channels and stores since February 2021, and as of the end of February this year, approximately 1.06 million bags have been sold.

　　Only 20% of the red yeast raw materials produced by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical are used in its own products, while 80% are sold to other companies. At present, many companies have announced recalls of products using red koji raw materials.

　　Nippon Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd. has announced that because a wine produced by the company uses red yeast raw materials provided by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., it has decided to independently recall about 96,000 bottles of the product. There have been no reports of health harm associated with Takara Shuzo's product.

　　Liquor manufacturers stated that this wine was only exported to Singapore and Taiwan, China, and did not enter the mainland Chinese market.

  Screenshot from Nippon Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd. website

Obtained from red yeast microbial fermentation

Experts remind you to pay attention to the dosage range of medicines

　　Monascus, an ingredient in the products recalled by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, has been produced and used in my country for more than 1,000 years. It is produced by fermenting rice with purple Monascus, a fungus of the Aspergillus family.

　　In the late 1970s, Japanese scientists discovered and isolated a chemical component called Monacolin K from red yeast fermentation broth, and found that it can significantly inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the body. This discovery attracted widespread international attention. After scientists conducted more in-depth research on red yeast rice, the first generation statin lipid-lowering drug, lovastatin, was finally born in 1987, and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially approved the listing.

　　Up to now, statins are still the first-line blood lipid-lowering drugs, with the advantages of significant efficacy, few side effects, and good tolerability. However, a few patients suffer from adverse reactions such as elevated liver enzymes, gastrointestinal symptoms, and myalgia. not available.

　　Recently, Liu Shaowei, director of the Shanghai Food Safety Research Association, said in an interview with the media that if red yeast rice is taken as a medicine, attention should be paid to whether the active ingredients are in compliance with national regulations and whether they are within the maximum dosage range. If it is exceeded, it may be Can cause damage to body organs.

　　Liu Shaowei believes that consumers do not need to worry if red yeast rice is consumed as ordinary food. Red yeast rice itself is just a fermentation product, and there may be some mold or toxic metabolites during the manufacturing process. However, as long as it is a regular food factory, the products it produces have been tested, and we eat it in our lives. For fermented bean curd made with Monascus, or products with Monascus as pigment, these added amounts are far from reaching the level of harming the human body. (over)