in Latvia they monitor the concentration of a dangerous enzyme

In Latvia, food supplements are also sold, for example, to lower cholesterol levels, which also contain fermented red rice extract. Isn’t it dangerous to use it?”

Diana Birkenfelde, head of the food registration department of the Food and Veterinary Service:

– According to established practice, if such a serious threat to the health of consumers is detected, information about the problematic product is very quickly sent to the European Commission’s Food and Feed Rapid Alert System and, consequently, to all the services of the EU Member States responsible for monitoring and control. However, to date, no European Union member state has reported potential health risks to consumers associated with this food additive in particular.

In the European Union, the use of red fermented rice monacolins in food supplements is permitted. Currently, 32 dietary supplements containing this ingredient are registered in the Register of Food Additives of the Ministry of Health.

However, if initially in the European Union this component was allowed to be used in higher doses, specifically up to 10 mg per day, then from June 22, 2022, in accordance with the requirements of European Commission Regulation (EC) 2022/860 dated June 1, 2022, which came into force As of July 22, 2022, major changes have been made regarding the use of monacolins in red fermented rice.

In particular, the European Commission has significantly reduced the permissible daily dose of monacolins, setting it at a level of less than 3 mg per day, as well as requiring various additional warnings to be indicated on the label.

The reason for this decision was the identified possible toxicity of the component, which most often manifested itself as impaired liver and kidney function, as well as muscle damage. The European Commission has included the mentioned ingredient in the list of substances that are subject to additional testing.

In any case, the Food and Veterinary Service urges consumers: if you decide to start taking any dietary supplement, you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor first.