Issues Raised by the “Red Yeast Malt Supplement Incident”

Abstract

The health problems caused by health foods containing benikoji (red rice malt) that arose in 2024 resulted in numerous serious injuries. This incident further undermined trust in health foods and supplements as a whole, reaffirming the importance of ensuring their safety. It also highlighted various issues regarding crisis response by companies and governments and the approach of consumers to health foods. The cause of the incident was a mold product introduced during the manufacture of red koji, and flaws in the inspection processes and labeling systems were also identified. Furthermore, the manufacturer's delayed initial response, including information disclosure and product recalls, due to a lack of appropriate medical advice, significantly exacerbated the damage. This review summarizes the history of the incident, discusses the system reforms that were implemented in response, and discusses the importance of collecting, analyzing, and providing feedback on health problems caused by health foods. While efforts to prevent recurrence are needed from industry, the government, medical professionals, and consumers, the newly established national government-led system for collecting and monitoring health problems is particularly promising.