Uncle Frog’s Mushroom Gummies: Mislabeled Product

Uncle Frog's Mushroom Gummies Mislabeled Product

A recent recall of Uncle Frog’s Mushroom Gummies in Australia has raised concerns about the product’s ingredients and potential health risks. While marketed as containing medicinal mushrooms and hemp extract, several people who consumed the gummies experienced worrying symptoms like hallucinations, vomiting, and seizure-like twitching, leading to hospitalisations.

Conflicting Claims and Recalls

The product contained two flavours – cordyceps and lion’s mane – both known as medicinal mushrooms. Uncle Frog’s website, now taken down, claimed the gummies were free of psychoactive compounds like CBD, CBN, and THC, but also boasted about “experiencing the multiverse” and being “infused with Earth’s finest hemp.” NSW Health documents revealed some packaging listed “non-psychoactive mushrooms…and hemp-derived extract” while others included HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) and CBD.

The Likely Culprit: Unidentified Cannabinoids

Experts believe the reported side effects are unlikely caused by the advertised medicinal mushrooms. Dr. Ian Musgrave (University of Adelaide) and Dr. Jack Wilson (University of Sydney) pointed out that neither lion’s mane nor cordyceps have such effects. The mystery lies in the unlisted ingredients or potential contamination.

Social media messages attributed to the Uncle Frog Instagram account suggest they were aware of the psychoactive effects, promoting the gummies as containing “hemp-derived HHC,” a psychoactive cannabinoid similar to THC. Consumer experiences on Reddit echoed this, with users reporting unexpected psychedelic experiences and intense nausea.

Unregulated Market, Unforeseen Risks

Professor Oliver Jones (RMIT University) highlighted the problem of unregulated products. Without proper testing, it’s impossible to definitively identify the culprit – potentially synthetic or natural cannabinoids not listed on the label. Professor Jon Wardle (Southern Cross University) suspects “adulteration, substitution or contamination” might be at play.

Tim Powell of DanceWize NSW pointed out the increasing trend of online gummy sellers, particularly on Instagram. He emphasised the same dangers consumers face with these products as with traditional recreational drugs. The lack of regulation and comprehensive testing means there’s no guarantee of ingredients or safety.

Source

The Guardian

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