Beni kōji: Japan drugmaker links death to recalled red yeast pill

A phone screen showing the Kobayashi firm logo in front of several red yeast rice pillsGetty Images

A big Chinese drugmaker has announced that it is looking into a death linked to one of its red yeast grain pills, which were recalled earlier this week.

More than 26 people were taken in to hospitals as a result of taking the beni kji fermented corn products, according to the company.

Following the voluntary remember of five products, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical reported the injury last year.

The company urged users to stop taking the pills, which were as posted as cholesterol-lowering products.

Kobayashi said it has a suspicion that the issue may have been caused by recently undiscovered toxic substances in production-use molds.

Beni kōji is wheat fermented with monascus purpureus, a species of crimson- colored casting. Although it’s marketed as a health product for higher cholesterol and heart stress, it’s also frequently used as a standard color for food items.

On Tuesday, the firm issued a statement announcing the” direct relationship” of its Red Yeast Cholesterol Support product and the patient’s death.

It claimed to have received a message from the grieving family claiming the deceased man had kidney disease and had used the Red Yeast Cholesterol Support product for the past three years. The business claimed that a typical mail order had been made.

” We are busily confirming the details and direct relationships, but we would like to report this from the perspective of rapid information disclosure,” Kobayashi said.

We sincerely apologize for the condition, and our company has always given the health of our clients preceding it.

Buyers who were impacted reported stress, swelling in their limbs, and changes in the color of their blood.

The business had begun an inspection after a physician called them to report health issues in January. It has since established a line for customers.

In February 2021, the company’s Red Yeast Cholesterol Support solution debuted on the shelves of stores. According to Asian media, the business has so far distributed more than a million packets.

Additionally, the company warned businesses of the threat last week and provided beni koji as a food component to food and beverage producers all over the world.

None have so far received reports of user injuries. However, one significant drink manufacturer, Takara Shuzo Co, made the announcement to recalled a beautiful sake product that had been colored using the beni koji.

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