By NANAMI WATANABE/ Staff Writer
March 26, 2024 at 16:29 JST
OSAKA--Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. announced on March 26 that benikoji, a malted rice ingredient used in several of the company’s products, has been linked to a customer's death.
The Osaka-based drug maker also disclosed 50 new reports of customers being hospitalized after consuming products containing the benikoji ingredient--in addition to 26 previously confirmed cases mostly with kidney problems.
The deceased customer, whose gender and age remain undisclosed, died of kidney disease while hospitalized in February.
According to the company, the customer had purchased the dietary supplement Benikoji Coleste Help between April 2021 and February 2024.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said that it had discovered an “unintended, unknown substance” in the benikoji used in the supplements. The company said that the product purchased by the deceased person may have contained this substance.
“We will sincerely respond to the bereaved family and disclose whatever information we have,” said a company spokesperson.
The company recalled all its supplements containing benikoji on March 22. Food producers and retailers nationwide are also pulling products with this ingredient off the shelves following reports of health problems.
Consumers can inquire about the supplements or report health problems by calling Kobayashi Pharmaceutical at 0120-58-5090 for products purchased from the company’s website, and at 0120-5884-12, or at 0120-880-220 after March 27, for products obtained from brick-and-mortar outlets or websites run by other companies.
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Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. has recalled Benikoji Coleste Help and all other supplements containing the benikoji ingredient. (Provided by the company)
