What U.S. consumers should know about the health supplement linked to 5 deaths in Japan

The recall of red yeast products linked to at least five deaths in Japan may have Americans questioning the safety of a range of dietary supplements containing the ingredient and readily found online and in stores.  

Billed as a natural means of lowering cholesterol, the products recalled by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. contain benikoji, an ingredient derived from a species of mold. 

At a news conference on Friday, the company said it had found a chemical compound — puberulic acid — in the recalled products, and is looking into whether the substance might be linked to the fatalities, the Japan Times newspaper reported. Kobayashi also said its products were exported to other countries, including China and Taiwan.