Kobayashi Pharma Japan’s second plant was investigated in connection with the death. By Reuters

TOKYO (Reuters) – Health authorities searched a second Kobayashi Pharmaceutical plant in western Japan on Sunday after the company reported five deaths possibly linked to its dietary supplements, officials said.

The investigation in Wakayama Prefecture follows one in Osaka on Saturday and expands the probe into the pharmaceutical company’s use of ‘benikoji’ red yeast raw material.

Osaka-based Kobayashi detected what appeared to be potentially toxic furberulic acid, which can be produced by the blue mold Penicillium, in Beni-Koji materials produced at its Osaka plant from April to October. They said they had found it.

As of Friday, 114 people had been hospitalized and five had died after taking the supplement advertised to help lower cholesterol levels, the company said.

An official from Japan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare told Reuters that the cause of death has not yet been confirmed. However, he said, “We suspected that Benikoji was the cause, so we inspected two factories over two days.”

Kobayashi said Friday that he was investigating a suspected link between the product and its effects on the kidneys after receiving reports of kidney disease linked to the product.

Yuko Tomiyama, head of investment at Kobayashi, said in a video released by NHK, “We will actively cooperate with the investigation so that the problem can be resolved as quickly as possible.”

A health authority official said, “We will do our best to resolve the ongoing case in cooperation with the relevant ministries,” and added, “We will request Kobayashi Pharmaceutical to provide necessary cooperation in the investigation of this case.”

The Yodogawa-gu factory in Osaka closed in December last year due to aging facilities, and production was moved to the Kinokawa City factory, which was searched on Sunday, Japanese media reported.

The government criticized the company for taking two months to announce the health effects of its products. Kobayashi began recalling the product on March 22 after reports of kidney disease.

Its products are also consumed in other countries.

Japanese media reported that a case of acute renal failure was reported in Taiwan. Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration is investigating three “unexpected health reactions” that may be linked to ingredients imported from Kobayashi, Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported.

The China Consumers Association said it was concerned about the risks of Kobayashi products and urged consumers to stop using potentially affected products, state media reported Friday.

Japan’s health ministry is aware of the Taiwanese case and declined to comment further on the international cases, the official said.

Kobayashi sells Benikoji wholesale to 52 companies, and as a result of voluntary testing, no substances requiring medical consultation were found as of Friday, NHK said. These companies announced that they would sell the material to 173 other companies.

TV Asahi reported that about 1,800 food companies could be affected.

Benikoji contains red yeast (Monascus purpureus), a red mold used as food coloring.