Singapore authorities have warned consumers against drinking Kopi Penumbuk after finding it to contain tadalafil, a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, which can also cause serious health risks.
Kopi Penumbuk is effectively banned in Singapore as it contains tadalafil, a potent medication requiring medical supervision, in the instant coffee mix Kopi Penumbuk, which was being sold on local e-commerce platforms. The product was also advertised with claims of enhancing male sexual performance.
Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is working with various online e-commerce platforms to remove listings of the product and issued warnings to the respective sellers to refrain from selling the product with immediate effect. Consumers are also advised to not consume Kopi Penumbuk.
Tadalafil is a prescription drug that, if misused, can cause severe health complications, including heart attack, stroke, migraine, and priapism – a painful and prolonged erection. The drug is particularly dangerous for individuals with heart conditions, as it can lead to a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when taken alongside nitrate-based heart medications.
Under Singapore’s Sale of Food Act, selling unsafe food products can result in a fine of up to S$5,000 (US$3,740). Repeat offenders face steeper penalties, or a jail term of up to 3 months, or both.
2 more Malaysian products recalled
In a related development, 2 weight loss products from Malaysia sold in Singapore e-commerce platforms were also found to contain substances with negative side effects on health.
The two weight-loss products were Susenji Mofa+ and Fabulous Boom Chocolate Flavour. Susenji Mofa+ contains sennosides – a medication used for treating constipation but can produce side effects such as abdominal pain, spasms, and diarrhoea amongst others, whereas Fabulous Boom was found to contain sibutramine – a prescription-only weight loss medicine banned in Singapore since 2010, due to its increased risk of heart attack, seizures and stroke. Interestingly, Fabulous Boom has the MeSTI logo (safe food industry certification).
SFA is working with the e-commerce platforms to remove these 2 products from their listings. Sellers were also warned to halt the sale of these products with immediate effect.
In 2024 alone, Singapore’s Health Science Authority had removed over 7,300 illegal product listing from local e-commerce and social media platforms. They include counterfeit probiotics, or weight loss and male vitality products containing banned ingredients.
