Ginseng Root Order Rejected as Contaminated

Federal regulators are examining whether ginseng root shipped to an Irvine company was contaminated with a fungicide.

After finding traces of a common fungicide called quintozene, PharmaPrint Inc., an Irvine developer of natural medicines, rejected the shipment and canceled its contract with the Colorado-based supplier.

A spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration, which launched an investigation, said no amount of quintozene on ginseng is considered acceptable.

In tests, PharmaPrint measured quintozene residue between 3 parts per million and 12 parts per million. “We believe an acceptable level of quintozene is 1 part per million,” said James Burgess, a company spokesman.

The supplier, Hauser Inc., said tests before shipping showed the amount of quintozene was “well below any reasonable risk levels.” But the natural products manufacturer will halt production until discussing the matter with government regulators, said Dean Stull, the company’s chief executive officer. Panex ginseng accounted for about 10% of Hauser’s $25 million in sales last year.

PharmaPrint does not sell ginseng products yet. The company also receives the root from other suppliers, and plans to release a new line of dietary supplements this summer that uses ginseng as a key ingredient.

PharmaPrint’s stock was unchanged Thursday, closing at $13.88.