By Jane Han
Staff Reporter
The escalating paranoia over the highly contagious H1N1 influenza A is prompting marketers to introduce all kinds of products as immune system boosters, but the country's food authority warns consumers that it only acknowledges four foods as supporting the human immune system.
The Korea Food & Drug Administration said Friday that aloe gel, alkoxyglycerols, ginseng and red ginseng are the only products that can carry labels as supporting the immune system, as long as an adequate amount of the key ingredient is included.
The regulator said some companies have recently been promoting mushroom products as an effective supplement to enhance the body's ability to fight diseases, but stressed that the mushroom ingredient alone cannot serve the purpose.
``Consumers should also be wary over products that claim to be effective against preventing the H1N1 flu virus,'' said a KFDA official, who explained that such exaggerated marketing tactics are illegal.
According to the KFDA, the four approved products include substances that effectively improve the health of the overall immune system.
Ginseng and red ginseng carry a high concentration of ginsenoside, which has been proven to benefit conditions of tiredness and weakness, the food authority said.
It added that although aloe gel and alkoxyglycerols are not widely known as effective supplements to boost the body's resistance against sickness, they have natural extracts that help in the formation of white blood cells.