The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s headquarters in Cheongju, North Chungcheong. The ministry said on Oct. 28 that it caught 23 businesses advertising ordinary food as supplements for test takers.NEWS1
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has caught 23 businesses advertising ordinary food as “supplements for test takers” and concentration boosters ahead of the national university entrance exam on Nov. 19.
The Food Safety Ministry asked local governments to take administrative action against the businesses and filed criminal complaints against them, the ministry said Wednesday. The businesses advertised processed sugar products, candy and other processed foods as if they improved concentration and memory or helped prevent or treat diseases such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
None of the products are "health functional foods," the category of products officially recognized as having functions such as improving concentration. The businesses sold about 410,000 boxes of product, worth 7.1 billion won ($5.4 million) in total.
Some ads claimed the products could prevent or treat diseases, using phrases such as “ADHD” and “depression prevention.” Others passed the products off as health functional foods with labels such as “supplements for test takers” and “supplements for third-year high school students.”
The ministry also found false or exaggerated claims such as “improves concentration” and “instantly boosts focus and energy,” as well as ads that misled consumers into treating the effects of an ingredient as the effects of the product itself.
The ministry urged consumers to watch the caffeine content of products marketed as supplements for test takers. Ten of the products inspected used guarana extract, made from the caffeine-rich seeds of a South American plant.
An ad for an ordinary food product promises test takers it will “boost focus” and “keep their condition strong,” with the focus claim boxed in red in images the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety released on Oct. 28 of ads it found misleading.MINISTRY OF FOOD AND DRUG SAFETY
Consuming too much food made with caffeinated ingredients such as guarana can cause insomnia, anxiety and heart palpitations. The products should not be taken regularly simply in the hope of sharper focus.
Eaten alongside coffee, energy drinks or other caffeinated products, the products can push caffeine intake past the recommended daily maximum. The recommended daily maximum for a teenager weighing 40 kilograms (88 pounds) is 100 milligrams of caffeine. Some of the products contained that much in a single sachet.
The ministry plans to step up its monitoring of misleading ads aimed at test takers and their parents and will take stern action against repeat offenders.
“Do not be swayed by ads claiming to improve concentration or learning ability,” said Oh Yu-kyoung, minister of food and drug safety. “If symptoms such as poor concentration or attention deficit persist, I urge you to consult a specialist.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
