Red Yeast Rice Supplements: Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Recalls 5 Products After Hospitalizations

On Monday, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. announced that at least 26 individuals have been hospitalized after consuming dietary supplements made by the company. Last week, the company reported that 13 people experienced health problems after taking supplements from a specific line of products containing “beni-koji” red yeast rice, with six requiring hospitalization and seven receiving outpatient treatment. One individual even required dialysis.

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical is voluntarily recalling five products, including approximately 300,000 packages of “beni-koji choleste help,” which had sold around 1.06 million packages since its release in February 2021. The company suspects that an unidentified ingredient derived from molds may be the cause of the health issues, with symptoms including swelling, fatigue, and decreased kidney function being reported.

In addition to the affected products, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has supplied “beni-koji” as a food ingredient to 52 companies in Japan and overseas, including food and beverage manufacturers and wholesalers. In 2023, 16.1 tons of “beni-koji” were sold, with 6.9 tons used in supplements and other products. The company suspects that a portion of the 6.9 tons may have contained the harmful ingredient in question, leading them to urge companies to remove any products containing “beni-koji” from the market.

An investigation was initiated by the company after a doctor raised concerns about health issues related to the products in January. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has confirmed that citrinin, a toxic metabolite produced by red yeast rice, has not been detected in the products