"COVID-19 Treatment Effect"... False Advertising Company of Gochutdae Tea Caught

MFDS: "Gochutdae Cannot Be Used as Food Ingredient"

[Photo by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety website] Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] One Korean medicine doctor and 14 companies were caught advertising tea made from chili pepper stems, which are not allowed as food ingredients, as effective for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 19th that, together with six regional offices and the Yeosu City Health Center, it conducted a planned crackdown from the 6th to the 14th on 39 companies selling chili pepper stems online and confirmed violations of the Food Sanitation Act and other regulations.

Chili pepper stems are the stalks left after harvesting the fruit and leaves of chili peppers. Due to the heavy use of pesticides during chili pepper cultivation, chili pepper stems are mainly used as fuel material. According to the current "Standards and Specifications for Food" notice, only the leaves and fruits of chili peppers can be used, and chili pepper stems cannot be used as food ingredients. They are also not approved as pharmaceuticals and cannot be used as herbal medicine ingredients.

The Korean medicine doctor caught this time introduced how to brew chili pepper stem tea on their personal YouTube channel in December last year, promoting its efficacy in treating COVID-19. Additionally, 14 food manufacturing companies were found to have produced "chili pepper stem liquid tea" and "chili pepper stem pills," selling about 37 million KRW worth through online shopping malls and other channels.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety filed charges against the Korean medicine doctor for violations of the Medical Service Act, Food Sanitation Act, and the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods. Furthermore, sales of chili pepper stems and related products on online shopping malls were immediately blocked, and 100 kg of chili pepper stems along with products stored by the companies were fully seized and destroyed.

The Ministry urged the public to be cautious not to be misled by false and deceptive advertisements claiming that chili pepper stems help with COVID-19, influenza, asthma, or bronchial conditions.

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