Most of these products affected are supplements for supporting hair, skin, and nails.
US brand HUM Nutrition’s Hair Strong Gummies is one of the affected products.
A total of 16 products containing PABA were detected during MFDS’s inspection of overseas products sold in South Korea via e-commerce.
Other products found to contain PABA include OFC Molecular LLC’s Biotin 6000mcg Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies, NUELATION’s Beauty Multivitamin Gummies, Vita Balance Inc’s Folexin Supports Natural Hair Growth, Health to Happiness Intl., Inc’s Hair, Skin & Nails Optimizer, and Grow Vitamin’s Hair Formula Supercharged Hair Nutraceutical.
The MFDS said that PABA was a pharmaceutical ingredient mainly used for hair loss prevention and was also known to cause side effects such as liver, kidney, and blood disorders if taken in excess.
It added that the ingredient is subject to domestic import ban, and it has thus taken measures to block domestic import of overseas products containing the ingredient.
“The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has taken swift measures to prevent the importation and sale of products with confirmed hazardous ingredients by requesting the Korea Customs Service to suspend customs clearance and the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block access to online sales sites, in cooperation with relevant organisations,” it said in a statement.
For hair loss and breast enlargement
The products containing PABA were uncovered during MFDS’s inspection of overseas products advertised for hair loss treatment and breast enlargement effects.
These products were made available to Korean consumers via online shopping malls.
A total of 30 products were inspected and 16 were found to contain raw materials and ingredients that are subjected to domestic import ban in South Korea.
“The inspection items were selected and applied to 31 types of ingredients related to hair growth or female hormones, and it was also checked whether the products contained raw materials and ingredients that are subject to domestic import bans.
“The test results showed that 11 products claiming to have ‘hair loss treatment’ efficacy and effects and five products claiming to have ‘breast enlargement’ efficacy and effects contained ingredients and raw materials that are subject to domestic import bans, such as general pharmaceutical ingredients,” said the MFDS in a statement.
Aside from PABA, the inspection also detected ingredients that cannot be used in supplements sold to South Korea, including black cohosh, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, L-citrulline, Epimedium as they are regulated as pharmaceutical ingredients.
A product containing Bacopa monnieri was also blacklisted as a result of this inspection, as the ingredient is not allowed to be used in food in South Korea.
Aside from PABA, black cohosh was the second most common ingredient found during this inspection.
The MFDS said that black cohosh was a pharmaceutical ingredient used for alleviating menopausal symptoms in women, but can cause side effects such as vomiting, dizziness, and liver disease if misused.
While PABA was found in supplement products linked to hair loss claims, black cohosh was found in products linked to breast enlargement claims.
Examples of these products include Best Naturals’ Breast-Ultra, Bearvana LLC’s BEARVANA Booty Gummies for you, SOFISTAIA’s Breast Larger, MINA Naturals’ NIPPLEXAN and New Bust Blast.
The MFDS has urged consumers to first check information on imported food sold online on the government’s website to check if they contain hazardous ingredients before making a purchase.
“There is a concern that overseas direct purchase food purchased by individuals for personal consumption may cause damage due to hazardous ingredients.
“Consumers must first check on the ‘Overseas Direct Purchase Food Correctly’ website to see if the product contains raw materials and ingredients that are subject to domestic import bans, and do not purchase products registered in the Overseas Direct Purchase Food Correctly, and do not sell them to third parties or use them for business purposes,” it said.
