'Daechi-dong Nutritional Supplements' Turn Out to Be General Foods; MFDS Catches 23 Companies for Misleading Ads Targeting Test Takers

410,000 boxes worth about 7.1 billion won

As the College Scholastic Ability Test approaches, a government inspection found that 23 companies had advertised general food products as “nutritional supplements for test takers” or products that “improve concentration.” The companies sold 410,000 boxes of these products, worth about 7.1 billion won.

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. The Asia Business Daily DB

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) on Oct. 28, the companies advertised general food products, including processed sugar products, candies and other processed foods, as effective in improving concentration and memory or as helping prevent or treat conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The MFDS requested that the local governments with jurisdiction over the companies impose administrative penalties and also filed complaints against them. Among those found in violation was Daewoong Pharmaceutical, which sells “Eneossiseul Jipjung Shot.”

The main types of violations included: advertising claims that products could prevent or treat diseases, such as “ADHD” and “preventing depression”; ads that could mislead consumers into thinking the products were health functional foods, using phrases such as “nutritional supplements for test takers” and “nutritional supplements for high school seniors”; false or exaggerated claims, such as “boosting focus and energy immediately after consumption”; and deceptive advertising that made the efficacy of an ingredient appear to be the efficacy of the product itself.

Some companies used phrases such as “Daechi-dong nutritional supplements,” “nutritional supplements for adolescents” and “nutritional supplements to improve test takers’ concentration” as hashtags or in search ads to encourage purchases. However, all of the products found in violation were general food products, not health functional foods approved for their concentration-enhancing effects.

Caffeine intake also requires caution. Ten of the products inspected contained guarana extract, which contains caffeine. The best-selling product contains 100 mg of caffeine per sachet. That amount is equivalent to 80% of the recommended maximum daily intake for an adolescent weighing 50 kg and 100% for one weighing 40 kg. The recommended maximum daily caffeine intake for children and adolescents is 2.5 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Oh Yu-kyung, commissioner of the MFDS, urged consumers not to be misled by advertisements claiming to improve concentration or learning ability, and said that anyone experiencing persistent symptoms such as reduced concentration or attention deficit should consult a medical specialist.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.