Analysis and management of abnormal cases by multiple intake of Korean health functional foods

Abstract

Extension of life expectancy due to aging has increased interest in health, leading to enlargement of the health function foods (HFF) market. In addition, the factors to contribute to enlargement of the HFF market would be the amounts of purchases, intake, and diversity of HFF depending on customer's interests. However, it is difficult to obtain clear evidence as to whether or not intakes of multiple specific body function-enhanced products cause harmful effects. In this study, we tracked problematic cases in which consumers took large quantities of functional ingredients in HFF. We classified 10,370 cases of HFF adverse events reported to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety from 2006 to 2018 based on 85 symptoms and selected five functional materials (Garcinia cambogia, green tea, Aloe vera, saw palmetto, Cynanchum wilfordii), which were suspected to be related to hepatic abnormalities, in order to analyze possible material-material interaction through in vitro study. Furthermore, the domestic and foreign management systems regulating side effects caused by intake of multiple HFF were investigated. When G. cambogia extract and green tea extract were treated together to AML12 cells, viability of the cells was lower than that of the group treated with only G. cambogia extract. We confirmed that combined treatment of G. cambogia extract and green tea extract resulted in clear hepatic toxicity. However, extensive investigation would be necessary to support the interaction possibilities of other combinations. © 2020 Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition. All rights reserved.