SFA warns against weight-loss coffee product
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on July 24 advised people not to buy or consume a coffee product that is marketed for weight loss, after it was found to contain a banned substance.
The product, V-SHOU Premium Coffee, is sold on various local e-commerce platforms and claims to promote quicker slimming results, accelerate fat burning, soothe the digestive system and control appetite, among other things, SFA said. It is unclear which country this product originated from.
SFA added that it has worked with e-commerce platforms to remove listings of the product and issued warnings to sellers to stop selling the product “with immediate effect”.
This comes after the banned substance, sibutramine, was found in the product, SFA said.
Sibutramine, a prescription-only weight-loss medicine, has been banned in Singapore since 2010 due to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke associated with its use.
Other serious health consequences reported with its use include heart problems and central nervous system disorders, such as psychosis and hallucinations. There have also been reports of seizures, SFA said.
The agency advised consumers who have bought the product to not take it.
“Those who have consumed the implicated products and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice,” it added.
SFA urged the public to be mindful of the “risks associated with consuming food bought from unknown or unverified sources”, and advised them to seek more information before making purchases.
The agency said it “will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against anyone who sells and supplies unsafe food products adulterated with banned substances or potent ingredients”.
It is an offence to sell unsafe food in Singapore.
Offenders may be fined up to $5,000, while repeat offenders may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to three months, or both.
Those with information on the sale and supply of V-SHOU Premium Coffee may write to SFA at www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback
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