RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has warned consumers against using three ginseng-flavored coffee and chocolate products after laboratory tests found they contained nortadalafil, a prohibited substance.
The warning covers all batches of Parsa Coffee (Coffee with Ginseng), Parsa Choco (Dark Chocolate with Ginseng) and Bintan SKY (Coffee with Ginseng), all sold in 100-gram sachets, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
The SFDA urged consumers to stop using the products immediately and dispose of any remaining stock, warning that they could pose health risks, particularly for people with chronic medical conditions.
The regulator said it has begun recalling the affected products from the market and would continue monitoring food products to ensure compliance with safety standards.
The SFDA said legal proceedings had been initiated against the importing companies, adding that violations of Saudi Arabia’s Food Law can carry penalties of up to SR10 million ($2.67 million), imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both.
The authority encouraged consumers to report suspected food safety violations through its unified call center as part of efforts to strengthen market surveillance.
Nortadalafil is a chemical compound closely related to tadalafil, a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction.
Regulators have warned that the undeclared presence of such compounds in food or other products can expose users to potentially serious side effects and dangerous drug interactions.
Risk of heart attacks and strokes
Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority has also warned consumers against products containing nortadalafil, according to a report by Channel News Asia.
The regulator previously ordered the removal of products containing the substance, warning that it could cause serious adverse effects including dangerously low blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
In a separate case, CNA reported that the HSA tested a slimming product called Choco Fit and found it contained sibutramine, an appetite suppressant banned in Singapore since 2010 because it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The agency also warned against Hamer Candy, another product marketed online, after it was reported by a consumer and found to contain a potent undeclared medicinal ingredient.
Singaporean authorities have repeatedly cautioned consumers against purchasing health supplements and slimming products from unverified online sources.
They warned that adulterated products may contain prescription-only medicines that are not declared on their labels.
