DOH lifts ban on local biscuit

MANILA, Philippines – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday lifted the ban on Sunflower Crackers Blueberry Cream Sandwich after tests by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) found it negative for melamine.

“Based on our examination, Sunflower Blueberry is safe for human consumption. The ban is now lifted,” BFAD director Leticia Gutierrez said in a phone interview.

Gutierrez also said the bureau found 15 other variants of Sunflower negative for melamine. These are: Sunflower Brand Honey Graham (whole wheat), Sunflower Duo Cracker Sandwich (Peanut and Chocolate Cream), Sunflower Brand Crackers with Real Cheese, Sunflower Brand Crackers Chocolate Sandwich, Sunflower Duo Cracker Sandwich (strawberry and blueberry Cream), Sunflower Brand Choco ‘N Crème (choco-coated strawberry sandwich) and Sunflower Brand Cracker Onion-Garlic Flavor.

Also tested negative for melamine are: Sunflower Brand Crackers Lemon Cream Sandwich; Sunflower Brand Crackers Strawberry Cream Sandwich; Sunflower Brand Crackers Butter Flavor; Sunflower Brand Grahams n’ Crème (Healthy Whole Wheat); Sunflower Brand Crackers Chicken Flavor; Sunflower Brand Crackers Great Original Flavor; Sunflower Brand Crackers Orange Cream Sandwich; and Sunflower Brand Crackers Mango Cream Sandwich.

The products were tested at the BFAD laboratory.

Last Tuesday, Duque banned the “distribution, sale or offer for sale or export” of Sunflower Blueberry after Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety (CFS) found it contaminated with the toxic industrial substance.

Sunflower is manufactured locally by Croley Food Inc. which said that their suppliers of milk, buttermilk, and other dairy ingredients do not get dairy products from China.

Gutierrez also said he could not account for the difference in findings of BFAD and Hong Kong’s CFS.

“I don’t know how it happened. We’ll be coordinating with CFS to know, for instance, where the samples that they tested came from.”

In an earlier statement, Croley has identified their suppliers as Anbros Industries Pte. Ltd.; San Miguel Mills and Oleo-Fats Inc. which all issued certifications that their supplies are free from melamine.

Croley added that these suppliers get their dairy ingredients from United States, New Zealand and Australia.