Supplement pill that contained mold recalled after 2 deaths, over 100 hospitalizations in Japan

Health supplement products believed to have caused two deaths and sickened more than 100 people have been ordered to be taken off store shelves in Japan, marking the first major recall of a domestically produced supplement in the country. 

The products from Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., billed as helping to lower cholesterol, contained an ingredient called "benikoji," a red species of mold.

In addition to the products from Osaka-based Kobayashi, more than 40 products from other companies containing benikoji, including miso paste, crackers and a vinegar dressing, were recalled, starting last week, a government health ministry official said Wednesday.