Goat Soup Cures Diabetes and Dementia? ... False Advertising Detected

by Jo Inkyung

Published 29 Jul.2024 16:51(KST)

MFDS Conducts Intensive Inspection of Companies Manufacturing and Selling Chlorine Extracts and Decoctions

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 29th that it has identified nine livestock product manufacturing and sales companies that violated related laws by unfairly advertising goat extract and goat soup as being effective for the prevention and treatment of diseases such as diabetes and dementia.

A case of false and exaggerated labeling and advertising while selling black goat extract (above). Labeling and advertising that may cause concerns about being effective for disease prevention and treatment (below).

Since confirming in May that products advertised as being made only from female black goats actually contained male black goats, the Ministry conducted a planned inspection targeting manufacturers and sellers of goat extract products, which are widely sold on home shopping and online shopping malls, for violations of the "Food Labeling and Advertising Act." As a result, such violations were discovered.

Among the companies caught, two used phrases in their advertisements such as "for those with diabetes" and "prevention of brain aging or dementia," which could lead consumers to perceive that the products have efficacy in disease prevention and treatment.

Four companies falsely or exaggeratedly labeled and advertised their products by reporting the manufacturing category as "1% black goat, 24% goat meat" while indicating on the product labels that they contained 82.5% black goat extract, among other discrepancies.

There were also cases where the efficacy and effects of raw materials were advertised in a way that could confuse consumers into believing the products themselves had those effects, constituting "deceptive advertising."

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated that after the relevant local governments take administrative actions against the companies identified this time, follow-up inspections will be conducted to verify whether improvements have been made. Furthermore, consumers are urged to carefully check product information such as raw material names and content and to avoid being misled by products that label or advertise general foods as having efficacy in disease treatment.