66 firms registered importers of high-risk products from Taiwan - FDA

Manila, Philippines - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday that 66 local companies are registered to import “high-risk” products from Taiwan, which is now facing a food contamination controversy.

FDA deputy director Ronald de Veyra said they are strictly monitoring these companies to make sure that they comply with the recall order issued against the products.

The agency is also reviewing its records to determine which among the 165,505 products listed by Taiwan as contaminated with Di(ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) have actually been exported to the Philippines.

“We are not sure if they are here so we are checking the companies. Some more may be added to the list of companies,” he said in a telephone interview.

The implicated products include sports drinks, tea, fruit juices, fruit jam and paste, candies and fruit syrup and concentrate.

De Veyra said the FDA is closely monitoring the situation to ensure the public’s protection against the contaminated products.

Aside from the Philippines, countries and territories like Singapore, Hong Kong, Xiamen and Beijing, China and Canada have also ordered a recall of the contaminated products.

Proactive measures

Environmentalists urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to initiate proactive measures to protect students from health-damaging food and drinks, especially blacklisted products from Taiwan.              

“Now that we know which products from Taiwan are tainted with DEHP, we call upon our education officials to welcome the new academic year with an enthusiastic campaign on food safety,” said Roy Alvarez, EcoWaste Coalition president.              

“The food safety awareness and action campaign should be rolled out in collaboration with school administrators, teachers, non-teaching personnel, students, parents, and food service providers, concessionaires and vendors,” Alvarez said.

“The campaign’s immediate objective should be to keep the tainted goods away from school canteens and snack kiosks, as well as convenience stores near schools,” Alvarez said.

“Just as important is the objective of educating parents, students and other stakeholders to shun unhealthy foods such as those laden with synthetic and toxic chemicals, and those high in fat, salt and sugar,” he added.

The group said school officials should instigate urgent dialogues with canteen operators and food concessionaires to ensure that no DEHP-tainted goods are used or offered for sale to students.

Convenience stores should in no way sell recalled goods or sell high-risk products from Taiwan that have no safety certifications, Alvarez added.

Right to be inquisitive

The EcoWaste Coalition also pointed out the importance of parents exercising their right to be inquisitive if only to ensure that their children are not fed with injurious stuff.

DEHP, a suspected carcinogen, can damage the kidneys, liver and lungs, and cause reproductive and developmental disorders such as underdeveloped penises and testicles in boys and early puberty in girls. – With Rhodina Villanueva, Rainier Allan Ronda