The sale of fermented foods such as kimchi and natto fermented soybeans is soaring as people are becoming increasingly concerned with their health amid the spread of the new coronavirus.
While some are buying them in bulk, such foods have not been proven to be effective in preventing infection, and the Consumer Affairs Agency and others are calling for caution.
Kimchi sales were strong at Tokyo supermarkets between May 1-14, jumping 60.8% from the same period last year.
"Fermented items are seen as being good for one's health," said an employee at one of the supermarkets.
Large fermented food manufacturers have become unable to secure a sufficient supply of hakusai cabbage from the farmers with whom they have contracts, and are instead turning to markets. The price of hakusai at the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market in late April was over three times higher than last year.
Fermented foods are said to maintain and boost immunity against germs, viruses and other bodily invaders.
Survey company Intage Inc. collected data on about 3,000 stores, including supermarkets around the nation, and found that sales of natto jumped 26.1% year-on-year in the weeklong period from April 27 through May 3.
The sale of products including yogurt, drinks containing lactic acid bacteria and miso fermented soybean paste have also increased across the board. "Sales have continued to exceed last year's since the first two weeks of February," a member of Intage said.
The Consumer Affairs Agency is strengthening its vigilance against misleading labels that tout a product's effectiveness, saying "there is no proven evidence to back up the effectiveness [of food or other items] against the virus."
People have already rushed to buy up products as toilet paper and rice, and the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry is also urging people to be calm in their buying behavior.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
