4 food items found to contain banned substances
The products are Loboose High End Super Candy from Germany, Premium Thundercat Super Candy from Russia, Lomie Peach Berries Blossom Fruity Tea from France and Urbanism Candy from Malaysia.
Loboose High End Super Candy and Premium Thundercat Super Candy, which claim to enhance sexual performance in men, contain tadalafil, a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction.
According to SFA, the medicine should be given only under medical supervision.
Inappropriate use of tadalafil is dangerous and can increase the risk of serious effects, including heart attack, stroke, headache, migraine, irregular heart rate and priapism, where one experiences a painful and exceedingly long erection, the SFA said.
"Tadalafil can also pose serious risks to certain individuals, including those with heart-related problems," SFA added.
"(It) can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure in those who are on heart medications, especially those containing nitrates."
Both Lomie Peach Berries Blossom Fruity Tea and Urbanism Candy, which are marketed as weight-loss products that help to suppress appetite, detoxify, control hunger and accelerate metabolism, contain sibutramine, a substance listed under the Poisons Act. Urbanism Candy also contains sennosides, a medicine used to relieve constipation.
The SFA said sibutramine is a prescription-only weight-loss medicine banned in Singapore since 2010, owing to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Other serious health consequences reported with its use include heart problems and central nervous system disorders like psychosis and hallucinations. Seizures have also been reported with sibutramine, the SFA added.
Meanwhile, one may experience side effects like abdominal pain, spasms, diarrhoea, and low potassium levels in the blood leading to muscle weakness or cramps when consuming sennosides.
In addition, sennosides may result in a lazy bowel, where the bowel muscles become too relaxed, leading to less-frequent bowel emptying, which results in long-term constipation and dehydration.
All four products are sold on online e-commerce platforms, and SFA has worked with the platforms to remove the listings of the products.
SFA has also issued warnings to the respective sellers to stop selling the products with immediate effect.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Etomidate found in blood of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — Etomidate has been detected in the blood samples of two people involved in a fatal road accident in Punggol Road in May, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on July 25. The pair were riding in a car that collided with a bus at about 2.50pm on May 13. The police discovered 42 e-vaporisers and more than 1,200 pods in the car, with some tested by HSA to contain etomidate, the authority said in a statement. The 30-year-old male driver was conscious when taken to hospital after the accident. His passenger, a 28-year-old woman, was taken unconscious to hospital where she subsequently died. "The driver is currently assisting the police and HSA in investigations regarding both the accident and e-vaporiser-related offences," the authority said. Etomidate, which is used as an anaesthetic agent, is allowed for use only in clinical settings and subject to strict conditions, according to HSA. On July 20, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the Health and Home Affairs ministries are working to list the substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act, amid a growing trend of e-vaporisers — or vapes — containing the drug. working to list the substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act, "The etomidate found in e-vaporisers or supplied in oil capsules or formulations to be inhaled directly into users' lungs are not medical products and are prohibited," HSA said in its statement. When used in vapes, etomidate can have serious adverse effects, it added. This includes causing involuntary movements or spasms of muscles, confusion, seizures and psychosis. It can also lead to physical dependence. Etomidate is currently listed under the Poisons Act. Under this law, abusers face a fine and sellers can face up to two years in jail. With etomidate listed as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in future, HSA said this will enable tougher actions against suppliers and users of vapes with etomidate. Users can be subject to supervision and mandatory participation in a rehabilitation programme or committed to drug rehabilitation centres, similar to drug abusers. Those who repeatedly reoffend or commit other serious offences can also be jailed for at least a year. "HSA strongly warns consumers who are using e-vaporisers to stop its use immediately," it said. Possessing, using or buying vapes carries a maximum fine of $2,000. Anyone who distributes, imports or sells vapes and their components can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000 for the first offence. Reoffenders can face up to a year in jail and fined up to $20,000. [[nid:718014]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
Avoid water activities around Tuas Second Link, Raffles Marina after chemical tank accident: NEA, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — The public should avoid primary water contact activities like swimming and recreational fishing in the waters around Tuas Second Link, including areas around Raffles Marina, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on July 24. NEA gave this precautionary advice after an accident earlier in the day on the Malaysian side of the Second Link bridge involving two heavy tankers, which resulted in a chemical tank containing propylene glycol falling into the sea. In a post on Facebook, NEA said it understands that the other tanker remained intact, with no chemical spill on the bridge. Primary contact activities are those where a person's whole body or face and trunk are frequently immersed, and it is likely that some water will be swallowed. They include wakeboarding, windsurfing and water immersion training. Propylene glycol is not classified as a hazardous substance and is biodegradable. The chemical is commonly used in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, said NEA. However, propylene glycol may cause low dissolved oxygen levels in the Lim Chu Kang fish farming zone, said NEA. It added that the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has alerted fish farms in the area to be vigilant and have mitigation measures on standby. They should also notify SFA if there are abnormal fish and water conditions. Singapore's desalination plants are currently not affected, and national water agency PUB is monitoring the seawater intake at the plants closely, NEA said. NEA and other agencies are in close communication with their Malaysian counterparts, added the agency. It is also actively monitoring water quality in the affected area. Malaysia's Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue Station chief Mohd Faiz Suleiman said an accident involving two lorries carrying propylene glycol had caused a tank from one of the lorries to plunge into the sea from the Second Link bridge. He added that the fire department in Johor was alerted to the incident at about 5.40pm on July 24, and seven firemen and a Fire Rapid Tender vehicle were deployed to the scene, reported Malaysian daily The Star. There was no contamination in the waters where the tank fell into the sea, and there were no signs of leaks from the tanks involved in the lorry accident, said Mohd Faiz. The accident caused delays for departure traffic at Tuas Checkpoint, said Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. A video posted on social media on July 24 shows a moving tanker hitting another tanker that appears to be stationary. After impact, the moving tanker tips towards the edge of the bridge, sending the tank it is carrying into the sea. The incident comes just a day after NEA held a chemical spill exercise at Tuas Second Link with Malaysia's Department of Environment and other agencies. The exercise was part of a bilateral co-operation programme under the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment. All three lanes of the Singapore to Malaysia-bound carriageway on Tuas Second Link were closed to vehicular traffic from 5am to 2pm on July 23 for the exercise. [[nid:720572]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
New Paper
2 days ago
- New Paper
SFA orders recall of Australian salami after salmonella detected
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has ordered a recall of a salami product after finding salmonella bacteria in it. Primo Reserve Hot Sopressa Salami is an Australian product imported by Alternative Selection, said the agency in a statement dated July 24. The company has been directed to remove the product from shelves and the recall is ongoing. Salmonella is a pathogenic bacterium that can cause food poisoning, and associated symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. Consumers who bought the product in question should not eat it, and those who have eaten it and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice, SFA added.
