Green dietary fiber aloesin exceeds the standard by 1,000 times, doctor says may cause cancer

The "Green Dietary Fiber Capsules", which are advertised as the first weight management health food in the country to obtain national health certification, became a hit thanks to artist Tao Jingying. Since its launch in May, it has sold 600,000 boxes. However, according to media reports, it was recently suddenly asked by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to preventively remove it from the shelves. The reason may be that the "aloline" content in the ingredient exceeds the internationally recognized standard by 1,770 times. Although the industry insists that it is harmless, doctors warn that excessive consumption may increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

The "Green Diet Fiber" weight management food endorsed by artist Tao Jingying was reported to contain excessive aloesin, causing severe diarrhea in users. (Photography by Jiang Minjun)

"Green Dietary Fiber" is the first health food to obtain the "non-fat-forming function" health certification. The health-promoting ingredient it promotes is catechins, as well as lactose, aloe vera extract and other ingredients. According to media reports, the problematic ingredient that caused Green Dietary Fiber to be taken off the shelves as a precaution is aloin. A computer engineer named Zhang claimed that he had diarrhea for four months after taking the product, saying it was "more effective than laxatives." He wrote to the media and sent it for testing, which revealed that the aloin content was as high as 17,000 ppm, which was determined to be the main cause of the diarrhea.

Excessive intake of aloesin may cause diarrhea, kidney failure, and colon cancer

Yan Zonghai, a toxicologist at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, said that aloin is mainly found in the skin of aloe leaves and is toxic. High concentrations or excessive intake can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and cause diarrhea and vomiting. Severe diarrhea can increase the risk of dehydration and kidney failure.

In addition, excessive intake of aloin may also increase the risk of colon cancer. A study in the United States found that when rats and mice were fed with aloesin or unpeeled aloe leaves, tumors appeared in the intestines of the rats two years later, but there were no changes in the mice. Dr. Yan Zonghai said that although aloin has not yet been listed as a carcinogen by the WHO, the above-mentioned animal experiments inevitably make people worry about its carcinogenicity.

The aloin content in common aloe vera-flavored beverages on the market should not exceed 0.1ppm. (Photo taken from the Council of Agriculture official website)

The internationally recognized industry standard is set by the International Aloe Science Council (IASC), which states that the content of aloin in oral products should be less than 10 ppm. Domestic laws and regulations stipulate that when aloe vera is used as a food ingredient, the skin should be completely peeled and the product must be labeled with a warning that "pregnant women should not eat". Aloe vera-flavored beverages are common in Taiwan, and aloin is a legal flavoring additive, but it can only be added to beverages, and the allowable amount is 0.1ppm.

Green Dietary Fiber Precautionarily Removes Products from Shelves to Clarify Whether Aloe Vera Is Peeled or Not

In response, the Green Fiber manufacturer stressed that the product is not illegal, the raw materials and production process are in compliance with international standards, and the diarrhea experienced by users may be due to personal physical fitness. The product contains lactose particles, which may also be caused by lactose intolerance.

Green Dietary Fiber spokesperson Li Yiyun held a press conference this morning to clarify that 17,700 ppm sounds like a high concentration because Green Dietary Fiber is a concentrated extract of natural aloe vera, and the number of milligrams of aloin contained in Green Dietary Fiber is approximately equal to that of a bottle of aloe vera juice, which is a very low content. The value of 17,700 ppm is quite normal. She stressed that concentration and content are two different units of calculation. The content of Green Dietary Fiber Aloe Vera is extremely low at only 8mg, which is "quite safe in terms of safety."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that there is no limit on the amount of aloin in food ingredients, and it is impossible to determine whether it is illegal. However, since aloe vera must be completely peeled when used as a food ingredient, in order to clarify safety concerns about whether businesses have actually peeled the aloe vera, they are asking businesses to take the product off the shelves as a precaution.