Call to stop sale and consumption of a plasticiser-tainted dietary supplement imported from US (with photo)

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 14) that a sample of Doctor's Choice - Evening Primrose Oil, a dietary supplement imported from the United States, was found to contain plasticisers, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-butyl phthalate (DBP). The CFS called on the public to stop consumption and instructed the trade to immediately stop selling the concerned batch of the particular product.

Details of the aforementioned sample are as follows:

Brand name and food name: Doctor's Choice - Evening Primrose Oil
Manufacturer: Captek Softgel Int'l Inc
Place of origin: the United States
Packaging: 40 Softgels
Best before: July 28, 2013
Batch No: OEO82OA

A CFS spokesman said, "The sample was collected for testing while CFS conducted surveillance checks at local retail outlets on the five categories of high risk food products (i.e. sports drinks; fruit juice; tea drink; fruit jam/fruit nectar or jelly; and food in tablet, capsule or powder form) and on other relevant food products in response to the plasticiser contamination incident in Taiwan.

"Test results showed that the sample contained DEHP at a level of 2.5 parts per million (ppm) and DBP at a level of 0.86 ppm, exceeding the action levels of 1.5 ppm and 0.3 ppm adopted by the CFS respectively."

He said, "Dietary exposure estimation on the dietary supplement sample concerned revealed that the exposure to DEHP from the recommended daily consumption amount as stated on the product label (two softgels for two to three times a day) would not exceed the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) set by the World Health Organization (i.e. 0.025 mg/kg of body weight).

"Neither will the exposure to DBP exceed the safety reference value, i.e. the TDI of 0.01 mg/kg of body weight established by the European Food Safety Authority."

Even though dietary exposure estimation showed no health concern from consuming the particular product, the spokesman said as a precautionary measure, the CFS had instructed the sole importer, Vita Green Health Products Co, Ltd, to immediately stop the sale and initiate recall of the relevant batch of the product. People should also stop consuming the affected product they have purchased."

The importer indicated to the CFS that product recall is underway. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may call the company (tel: 2901 6000) during office hours.

The spokesman added, "The CFS will take samples of similar products of the same brand for testing and conduct checks at retail outlets to see if the affected batch is available for sale.

"Also, the CFS will inform the US authorities of the test results, continue its investigations and follow-up work, and closely monitor the recall arrangements."

The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 14) called on the public to stop consuming a specific batch of Doctor's Choice - Evening Primrose Oil, as shown in the photo, and instructed the trade to immediately stop selling the affected product imported from the United States. A sample of the product was found to contain plasticisers, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-butyl phthalate (DBP).

Ends/Thursday, July 14, 2011
Issued at HKT 20:51