Italy’s Department of Health last week withdrew a further four turmeric-based food supplement products from sale, as recent cases of hepatitis in the country rose to 20.
Turmeric-based supplements haver been linked to the current outbreak (the first was reported in December 2018), but tests on products so far have failed to reveal the cause of the problem.
Product contamination is one of a number of possibilities that the authorities in Italy are studying. While turmeric and curcumin remain the main focus, other components and ingredients – curcuminoids, pipeline, vitamins and excipients – are also under investigation. Prescription drug interactions are another possible cause.
Industry groups have been urging the authorities to step up efforts to identify the cause of problem, and are worried that slow progress in this area risks repetitional damage to the curcumin sector and individual brands. The Italian trade association FederSalus has pointed out that curcumin is itself widely considered a safe component of a traditional, long-used food and is fully approved for use as both a food supplement and food additive. Side-effects are limited and generally mild, and drug interactions are well documented.
But last week Italy’s Department of Health added a further two products to its list of withdrawn products which it said were related to the most recent case of non-infectious hepatitis.
The majority of affected products are produced in Italy, but some German and French-made products have also been named. The full list of identified products can be viewed here.