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Kao required as for the sales discontinuance of cooking oil "Econa" (Enova)
By JCPRESS
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The doubt with the carcinogenesis promotion effect presented to the principal ingredient
Japan Housewives' Association and Consumer Union of Japan, the main consumer groups in Japan, demanded from Kao and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare , saying that "Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare should withdraw the approval of the "Food for Specified Health Uses concerning the cooking oil 'Econa' of Kao at once. Kao also should stop sales of Econa until safety was affirmed".
These consumer groups are describing, "The continuation of sales of the cooking oil 'Econa' of Kao that became the object food of the carcinogenesis association test is wrong as the Food for Specified Health Uses that the government approves".
National Cancer Center Research Institute presented the experimental result "The possibility of the carcinogenesis promoting effect was suggested" of principal ingredient "Diacylglycerol" of Food for specified health uses "Healthy 'Econa' cooking oil" of Kao and "'Econa' mayonnaise type" to Cabinet Office Food Safety Commission in August.
And, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare decided to start a real carcinogenesis incremental test in two stages about the principal ingredient of Econa. Japan Housewives' Association fil the request to relevant government agencies and Kao on September 12.
Consumer Union of Japan also fil "Open question" to Kao and the government. And, the consumer group institutes the problem of Econa by information magazine "Consumer report".
Civic group "Food Safety Citizens' Watch" showed posture with "We cannot overlook the situation from which the incremental test of the carcinogenesis promotion was requested. It is because the Food for specified health uses required safety".
Scientists also described in the coverage of the Japan Consumer Press (JC-Press), "The safety of Econa is still in the state of the provisional licence".
Kao that had refrained from comment up to now stressed by the this company home page on September 2, "The safety of the Econa product is affirmed enough", and published the executive summary of the data that related about Econa for the movement of consumer groups.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare described the extension of the ripple, "After having seen the consequence of the incremental test that would be executed in the future, we examine correspondence".
Japan Consumer Press Sep 15, 2005 No.717 , online published : Oct 11, 2005
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