106 hospitalized, 2 dead in Japan: They had consumed dietary supplements

12PUNTO FOREIGN NEWS

In the Japanese city of Osaka, 106 people who used a dietary supplement containing red fermented rice called 'beni koji', produced by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, were hospitalized on Tuesday (March 26). The manufacturer announced that 2 people who used the product have died.

The pharmaceutical company stated that one person who had been purchasing the supplement for approximately three years, starting in April 2021, died of kidney disease last month. The company noted that it plans to disclose details regarding the other death in the coming days.

It has not yet been proven that the deaths are linked to the consumption of 'beni koji'. However, following the hospitalization of 106 people with various complaints, the company is investigating the possibility that the 2 people who lost their lives may have died in connection with the dietary supplement.

On Tuesday, the Japanese Ministry of Health instructed Kobayashi Pharmaceutical to recall three of its products, including the supplement in question, in accordance with the Food Sanitation Act.

Ministry officials reported that the deaths of two people who consumed the supplement have been confirmed, and it has been determined that 106 people were hospitalized after taking the supplement.

According to the firm, it is highly probable that a substance found in the beni koji produced between July and October of last year caused the health issues.

News Source: 12punto