Consumer distrust is spreading after a "silica gel contamination" incident was found in a children's yogurt from the premium yogurt brand "Lukt." Lukt said it posted a notice on its own mall as soon as it recognized the problem. But some consumers who bought the product through other sellers such as Coupang and Kurly are criticizing the response as passive.
According to related industries on the 24th, Lukt announced on 19th that signs of silica gel contamination were confirmed in some "Lukt Kindy Organic Yogurt Plain 85g" products. The affected products were produced on Sept. 9 with a consumption deadline of Sept. 24, and were sold not only on its own mall but also through major online platforms such as Coupang and Kurly.
In the notice, Lukt said, "We confirmed indications that the silica gel packet, enclosed to remove moisture in the materials and supplies xylitol, was damaged and mixed into some products," and added, "Silica gel is a desiccant used in food packaging and is not harmful to the human body, but we deeply apologize for the presence of a foreign substance in a product for children." Because silica gel is indigestible, consuming a large amount can cause abnormal symptoms such as stomachache or vomiting.
However, this consumer notice was limited to the company's own mall and KakaoTalk channel, leaving many group-buying sellers and general consumers without direct notification. As a result, some influencers completely halted or temporarily postponed scheduled group purchases and issued separate notices, and consumer complaints spread. Given that the product targets infants and children, anxiety grew even more. A consumer, a person surnamed Jeon (35), said, "I feel both anger and anxiety to hear that a product I was feeding my child has a problem," adding, "I'm even more upset that they tried to get by with just a notice on their own mall."
Lukt says it responded according to procedure as soon as it recognized the problem. It first learned of the issue through a customer inquiry on 18th and collected some products, and as soon as it confirmed the silica gel contamination with the manufacturer the next day, it posted a notice on its own mall, it said. It also asked the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety the same day about safety, and said it obtained safety verification through documents from the U.S. materials supplier and the manufacturer. Regarding the timing by distribution channel, it said that after the notice on its own mall, it shared the situation with Coupang and Kurly, and customer notices were completed on 20th at Kurly and on 22nd at Coupang.
A Lukt official said, "Silica gel is made of silicon dioxide, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines as 'Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS),'" and claimed, "As a result of inspecting the affected product, silica gel was detected at a level of 3 out of 7,900 cases."
However, experts say corporations need to respond proactively to food safety issues. Lee Eun-hee, a professor in the Department of Consumer Studies at Inha University, said, "Even if it is harmless to the human body, it is hard to conclude what effect it might have on a child," adding, "In a situation where consumers are expressing anxiety, companies should respond more proactively and sincerely."
Artitude, which operates the Lukt brand, is a startup founded in 2020 and a yogurt-focused brand that promotes "healthy gastronomy." Based on its buzz on social networking services (SNS), it entered online channels in 2021, including Market Kurly, Coupang, and Olive Young. In 2022, it expanded into offline distribution networks such as Shinsegae Department Store and Homeplus.