FDA bans 15 food products from Taiwan

MANILA, Philippines - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned 15 food products from Taiwan that were found to be contaminated with maleic acid, a substance used in making synthetic resin which is used in manufacturing plastic products, automotive parts and pipes.

In an advisory, FDA acting director Kenneth Hartigan-Go said the products are “not registered” with the FDA to be sold in the country.

These products are Hong Tapioca Starch, Redman Black Tapioca Pearl, Sun Right Indica Rice Powder, Top 1 Tapioca Pearls, Tea World Tapioca Starch Ball, Unbranded Starch Ball, Ding Long Tapioca Pearls, Sun Chi Noodles, T & M Resources Corp Tapioca Pearls, Pure Tea Tapioca Pearls (White), Pure Tea Tapioca Pearls (Black), Full Free Green Tea Tapioca Ball, Full Free Yam Tapioca Ball, Long Kow Vegetarian Instant Rice Noodle, and Long Kow Rice Noodle with Thick Soup.

The products were tested and reported by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore. The agency found the products contaminated with maleic acid.

“Maleic acid is not an approved additive for manufacturing food products. Long-term consumption of high levels of maleic acid could harm the kidney,” Go said.

“Products contaminated with maleic acid is considered illegal,” he added.

Republic Act 9711, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, prohibits the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of any health product that is adulterated, unregistered or misbranded.

Go said “the ban shall continue to remain in force and in effect until the products are first registered in the country by an FDA-licensed food establishment with proper testing of presence/absence of maleic acid to the said products.”

“The FDA shall continue to monitor the entry of food products from Taiwan in the Philippine market. All consumers are advised to buy and consume products that are registered with the FDA,” he added.

The list of registered food products is uploaded on the FDA website www.http://fda.gov.ph.