In response to health concerns arising from the consumption of “functional foods,” a panel convened by the Consumers Affairs Agency has recommended mandatory reporting of associated health problems and stricter quality control measures for such products.
The discussion, prompted by health issues linked to Kobayashi Pharmaceutical supplement products containing beni kо̄ji red fermented rice, resulted in proposals for significant reforms in the regulation of functional foods.
The panel of experts emphasized the need for legal regulations governing functional foods, which are marketed for their health-enhancing properties without prior government review, superseding the existing guidelines. Additionally, the panel advocated for similar regulations to be applied to foods with specified health uses, or those backed by sufficient scientific evidence of their benefits and safety.
These recommendations are expected to inform a forthcoming plan for the revision of the functional foods system by the agency.
Under the proposed framework, all health problems diagnosed by medical professionals would be subject to mandatory reporting, particularly in light of instances where Kobayashi Pharmaceutical publicly disclosed health issues two months after becoming aware of them. Violators of this rule would face restrictions on labeling their products as functional foods.
Meanwhile, the agency revealed findings from an emergency survey on functional foods, conducted following the Kobayashi Pharmaceutical scandal, which has been linked to at least five deaths in Japan. The survey identified 82 instances of health problems related to 31 products, based on reports from medical professionals, with 75 cases associated with supplements.
The survey encompassed 6,795 products from 1,693 registered companies as of March 22. Initial reports in April indicated 147 instances of health problems across 35 products; however, the figures were revised downward after excluding non-registered functional foods and reports from non-medical sources.
