Suspension of Sales of Domestic Hemp Seed Oil Violating Hemp Component Standards

36 Cases of False and Exaggerated Advertising

On the 26th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that, in cooperation with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), it has suspended sales of domestically manufactured hemp seed oil products after detecting hemp components exceeding the standard limits.

According to the Consumer Agency, a recent investigation into the hemp component content of 20 hemp seed oil products sold domestically found that 'Andong Hemp Seed Oil' (250mL, manufactured on May 23, 2023) produced by 88 Comprehensive Foods Co., Ltd. contained 25.4 mg/kg of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), leading the MFDS to halt its sales. THC is the main psychoactive component of hemp that causes hallucinations, and the allowable limit is 10 mg/kg.

Hemp seed oil is a plant-based edible oil extracted from hemp seeds and is commonly used in fish dishes. However, if the seed hulls are not completely removed, trace amounts of hemp components such as THC can be present during the oil extraction process, so strict standards are set and enforced.

In addition, the Consumer Agency inspected 70 domestic online sites distributing and selling hemp seed oil and identified 36 cases of false or exaggerated advertising. Among these 36 cases, 17 advertisements suggested health functional food benefits such as improving blood circulation and enhancing immunity, which could mislead consumers; 10 emphasized disease prevention or treatment effects; and 9 used deceptive terms like 'superfood' without objective evidence.

The Consumer Agency urged consumers to be cautious not to mistake hemp seed oil for health functional foods and to report any problems caused by these products through the Consumer Harm Monitoring System.

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