20 Flower Tea Vendors Selling Inedible Products Caught

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 22nd that it has identified 20 companies violating regulations by producing flower tea products using flowers that cannot be used as food ingredients and selling them online.

Only flowers recognized as safe can be used for flower tea, and if they contain allergenic components, their usage is restricted or prohibited. Only petals of magnolia, rose, sunflower, etc., can be used, while flowers such as gaemangcho, gomari, bibichu, jopapnamu, and doraji are not allowed. Azalea flowers, which are easily confused with rhododendron, contain a toxic substance called grayanotoxin and must never be consumed. Rhododendron also has mild toxicity in its stamens, so only the petals washed clean with water after removing the stamens can be consumed.

As interest in flower tea, which is made by steeping dried flowers in hot water, has increased recently, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety conducted a planned crackdown from mid to late last month targeting 46 infusion tea companies, identifying those violating the law and taking administrative actions or referring them for investigation. These companies collected flowers during blooming season, including those that are inedible or require removal of calyx and stamens before use, and used them as raw materials. A total of 30 types of flowers and 52 products were found being sold on online shopping malls and other platforms. The Ministry stated that while the products cannot be definitively deemed harmful to human health, their safety has not been recognized.

Additionally, it was confirmed that these companies falsely labeled and advertised their flower tea products on online shopping malls and flyers as having medical efficacy or effects, selling approximately 250 million KRW worth of products. They claimed the products could treat diseases or help alleviate menopausal symptoms, menstrual pain, indigestion, and so forth.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has blocked sales of these products and confiscated and destroyed all products and raw materials stored on-site. Consumers who purchased non-compliant products can request returns from the seller or report through the Korea Consumer Agency. The Ministry stated, "We will continue to strengthen crackdowns on manufacturing food products using raw materials whose safety has not been secured."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.