A preliminary conclusion has emerged regarding the Japanese red yeast rice incident, in which 120 people died after consuming health supplements. Authorities have reported that most victims suffered from kidney disease linked to puberulic acid, a toxic compound produced when blue mold contaminated the product during production.
Japan’s NHK and other news outlets reported that the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare stated, “It is almost certain that puberulic acid, derived from blue mold, caused kidney disorders in the victims.”
Puberulic acid is produced by blue mold, and animal experiments conducted by the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Health Sciences confirmed that administering this compound to test mice for seven days resulted in necrosis of the kidney tubules.
The alarming cases of kidney disease linked to the red yeast rice supplement first surfaced in March. At that time, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical disclosed that an unexpected contaminant had entered the product between April and December of the previous year.
In response to the numerous casualties, the Ministry of Health investigated red yeast rice samples, detecting puberulic acid and two other compounds not typically found in standard red yeast supplements. However, animal testing indicated that these two additional substances did not adversely affect kidney function.
The Ministry suspects that contamination by blue mold during manufacturing led to the formation of puberulic acid and is currently reviewing conditions and standards to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The affected product is Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s Red Yeast Cholesterol Help, a popular supplement that has sold over 1.1 million units since its launch in 2021. Given its widespread use, many adverse effects have been reported. As of Tuesday, a damage report submitted by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical indicated that 502 individuals required hospitalization after consuming the product, with 120 fatalities attributed to it.
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