MADRID, June 28 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Japanese authorities reported this Friday that they have opened an investigation into the deaths of at least 76 people who consumed a dietary supplement known as ‘Beni Koji’, used to reduce cholesterol.
The Japanese Minister of Health, Takemi Keizo, has confirmed that the Government has decided to carry out these investigations on its own after the case has set off all the alarms in the country, where several deaths allegedly related to the supplement had already been reported. the pharmacist Kobayashi.
Although the company itself has said it is continuing to investigate the case, the minister has indicated that it is “extremely regrettable”, so the investigations “cannot be left to the company and must be managed directly by the Ministry of Health.” Likewise, he has indicated that the relatives of the deceased would have previously contacted the pharmacist when suspecting a possible relationship.
However, the company has not yet issued any conclusions or reports in this regard, something that has been criticized by the Japanese Government, according to information from the Japanese news agency Kiodo. The Ministry of Health has so far registered some 170 complaints in this regard, of which 94 have been discarded.
Several analyses carried out in 2023 showed the presence of an acid caused by blue mold in the product. According to the National Institute of Health Sciences, this substance is toxic to the kidneys.
