Staff writer, with CNAThe public should not consume butterfly pea flowers until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed a safety assessment, the Taipei Department of Health warned on Friday. People in parts of Southeast Asia like to consume the luminous, indigo-colored flowers as an infusion or a cooking ingredient because of the health properties they believe the flowers contain. However, according to the FDA, butterfly pea flowers are only approved as a coloring agent, and should not be added to food or beverages, the city’s Food and Drug Division director Wang Ming-li (王明理) said. The butterfly pea flower contains flavonoids known to cause uterine contractions, so pregnant women should avoid consuming it, he added. Four beverage stores in Taipei use the flower as a coloring agent, Wang said, but no company has applied for FDA approval to use the plant as a food or beverage ingredient.

Source: Taipei Times May 11, 2019 15:56 UTC