APR says lab tests show no Sudan Red in Medicube cream batches flagged by Singapore
Quick Look
South Korean beauty company APR stated that lab tests found no trace of banned industrial dye Sudan Red in two batches of its Medicube skin cream that Singapore's health regulator had flagged in a recall, confirming results from certified institutions in Korea and elsewhere.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Singapore's Health Sciences Authority had previously flagged two batches of Medicube's PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream for containing trace amounts of Sudan Red, a banned industrial dye, leading to a recall order for certain distributors while clearing others after finding no contamination.
South Korean beauty company APR said Friday that lab tests found no trace of Sudan Red, a banned industrial dye, in two batches of its Medicube skin cream that Singapore's health regulator flagged in a recall.
Testing at certified institutions, including in Korea, found no such dye in samples APR sent from Medicube's PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream corresponding to the batch numbers cited by Singapore's Health Sciences Authority — 2E122I.2E117I and 2E191G.2E193G.
Sudan Red is a synthetic azo dye barred from foods and cosmetics due to suspected genotoxic and carcinogenic properties.
"These results confirm through objective testing that no Sudan Red was detected in products bearing the same batch numbers cited by HSA," the company said in a statement. "This is consistent with HSA's own findings of no detection in products officially supplied by our Singapore entity."
The company said it also conducted testing at an HSA-certified institution at the regulator's request.
The finding follows HSA's discovery of trace amounts of Sudan IV in two batches sold by Venus Beauty Pte. Ltd., one of three distributors under HSA's scrutiny. The regulator ordered those batches recalled Aug. 26, while clearing the other distributors' batches for resale after finding no contamination, including APR's official Singapore distributor.
APR disputed the authenticity of the samples HSA tested, saying it had no record of exporting those batch numbers to Singapore. The company said HSA identified Venus Beauty as the seller of the tested samples, to which APR has never supplied or exported products.
"We're reviewing the facts around how these products were distributed," an APR official said. "Whether the samples HSA obtained are genuine, and how they made their way to that seller, are questions that still need answers."
The company said it would continue to address false claims with verified facts, while maintaining its focus on quality and transparency. It also noted that unauthorized products have appeared in some markets, and that items purchased outside official retailers cannot be verified.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
APR will continue to address false claims with verified facts while focusing on quality and transparency
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- How did the tested samples reach Venus Beauty if APR never supplied those batch numbers to Singapore?
- Are there ongoing investigations into the distribution chain of the disputed samples?
- Will APR pursue further actions against unauthorized distributors of its products?
