Kingu Ginseng Candy, a product marketed as a candy, contains a potent prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Apr. 12.
The agency advised consumers not to purchase or consume the product that was found on multiple local e-commerce platforms.
Contains tadalafil
The product makes claims of male sexual enhancement effects and was found to contain tadalafil, which is used to treat erectile dysfunction.
Tadalafil is a prescription medicine and should only be given under medical supervision, SFA added.
Inappropriate use of tadalafil is dangerous.
It can increase the risk of priapism, also known as painful and prolonged erections.
It can cause other serious adverse effects, including heart attack, stroke, headache, migraine, as well as irregular heart rate.
It can also pose serious risks to certain individuals, including those with heart-related problems.
The medication may cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure in those who are on heart medications, especially those containing nitrates, the agency said.
Product listings taken down
SFA has worked with various online e-commerce platforms to remove the listings of the product and issued warnings to the respective sellers to refrain from selling the product with immediate effect.
Those who have consumed the implicated product and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice.
The product, individually wrapped candy, was previously listed on Shopee and Lazada, but do not appear to be available anymore.
Kingu Ginseng Candy is manufactured in Malaysia, according to photos provided by SFA.
Its ingredients include coffee and ginseng extract.
SFA advised consumers to be cautious and mindful of the risks associated with consuming food bought from unknown or unverified sources.
The agency advised consumers to seek more information before purchasing any products.
SFA said those who sell and supply food products that are found to be adulterated with banned substances or potent ingredients will be taken to task.
Those found guilty face a fine not exceeding S$5,000.
If there is a second or subsequent conviction, a person may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to three months, or both.
Top photo via SFA