DOST awaits DOH recommendation on standard vinegar formulation

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is still waiting for the Department of Health (DOH)’s recommended formulation of vinegar that will be allowed for sale in the market as it pursues its move to go after those selling synthetic or fake vinegar that contains harmful acetic acid.

Raymond Sucgang, DOST Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Nuclear Analytical Techniques Applications Section head, said while they have been informed by the DOH of the standards in making vinegar, the DOST-PNRI has yet to be provided a copy of the standards.

Sucgang said that the DOST-PNRI has already stopped further analysis testing on vinegar brands sold in markets all over the country, having covered around 400 brands.

PNRI scientists have found that eight out of 10 vinegar products sold in the market are synthetic and thus harmful to consumers’ health.

In the analysis of vinegar products, it was found that as many as 80 percent of the brands in the Philippines contain synthetic industrial acetic acid.

DOST-PNRI’s research distinguishes vinegar and other condiments from natural or plant-based sources from those which are derived from petroleum-based sources.

The results of the vinegar studies have been submitted to the DOH for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop new vinegar standards of the Philippines.

PNRI researchers are also developing isotope analytical techniques for use in detecting synthetic byproducts in other condiments such as ketchup, fish sauce or patis and soy sauce or toyo. 

State-of-the-art equipment such as the liquid scintillation counter and the isotope ratio mass spectrometer will be used to study the isotope composition of condiments, particularly carbon-13 and nitrogen-15.

Meanwhile, the PNRI continues to be open to customers from various sectors on the use of its nuclear analytical techniques for their products.

PNRI’s analytical laboratories and services are certified under ISO 17025:2005 and under ISO 9001:2015.