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05 dead and over 100 hospitalized from recalled Japanese health supplements
Mar 29 from AP
Five people who took a Japanese health supplement have died and more than 114 have been hospitalized as of Friday, a week after a pharmaceutical company issued a recall of the products, officials said. The products includes Benikoji Choleste Help meant to lower cholesterol that contain an ingredient called benikoji, a red species of mold.
官方消息称，截至周五，已有5名服用日本保健品的人死亡，超过114人住院治疗。一周前，一家制药公司发布了产品召回令。这些产品包括用于降低胆固醇的“红麹胆固醇帮助”，其中含红曲成分（一种红色霉菌）。
Osaka-based Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. came under fire for not going public quickly with problems known internally as early as January. Some people developed kidney problems after taking the supplements, but the exact cause was still under investigation in cooperation with government laboratories, according to the manufacturer.
总部位于大阪的小林制药公司早在 1 月份就发现了内部问题，但没有迅速公布于众，而遭到了抨击。据生产商称，一些人在服用这种保健品后出现了肾脏问题，但具体原因仍在与政府实验室合作调查中。
President Akihiro Kobayashi apologized deeply at a news conference on Friday. He expressed remorse to those who have died and have been sickened, and to their families. He also apologized for the troubles caused to the entire health food industry and the medical profession, adding that the company was working to prevent further damage and improve crisis management.
总裁小林明弘在周五的新发布会上深表歉意。他对那些死亡和生病的人及其家属表示遗憾。他还对给整个保健食品行业和医学界造成的麻烦表示歉意，并补充说公司正在努力防止进一步的损害，并改进危机管理。
The company’s products have been recalled — as have dozens of other products that contain benikoji, including miso paste, crackers and a vinegar dressing. Japan’s health ministry put up a list on its official site of all the recalled products, including some that use benikoji for food coloring.
该公司的产品已被召回，其它几十种含有红曲的产品也被召回，其中包括味噌酱、饼干和一种油醋汁。日本卫生部在其官方网站上公布了所有召回产品的清单，其中包括一些使用红曲作为食用色素的产品。
The ministry warned the deaths could keep growing. The supplements could be bought at drug stores without a prescription from a doctor, and some may have been purchased or exported before the recall, including by tourists who may not be aware of the health risks.
卫生部警告说，死亡人数可能会继续增加。这些保健品可以在药店购买，无需医生开具处方，有些可能在召回前就已经购买或出口，包括那些可能没有意识到健康风险的游客。
今日词汇
health supplement 保健品，补品
hospitalize 送入医院治疗，送住院
pharmaceutical 制药的，配药的
product recall （缺陷）产品召回
cholesterol 胆固醇
under fire 遭受批评，受到攻击
kidney problem 肾脏问题，肾病
sickened 患病的，得病
medical profession 医学界
miso paste 味增酱
cracker 饼干
vinegar dressing 油醋汁
food coloring 食用色素
prescription 处方，规定
