BFAD: 1 week needed to test peanut butter products

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Food and Drugs will need at least one week to come out with initial results of its inspection of food products with peanut butter. BFAD director Leticia Gutierrez admitted they need at least seven days for microbial testing to see if the peanut butter in the food products tested contains, or is free of dreaded salmonella. "It will take one week to find out kung positive o negative. Ayaw namin magpalabas ng false positive o negative (We don't want to come out with premature false positives or negatives)," she said in an interview on dzXL radio. She said BFAD agents will randomly take samples of products with peanut butter from markets, particularly Kellogg's-branded products. Gutierrez hinted the BFAD's list may eventually include products other than Kellogg's because the peanut butter paste used in the products came from a third company. "Ang Peanut Corp. of America, may peanut paste, ito ang ginamit ng iba't ibang kumpanya including Kellogg's (Peanut Corp. of America makes peanut paste used not just by Kellogg's food products)," she said. She said the BFAD will come up with public advisory asking consumers to refrain from buying such products with peanut butter for the moment, "for public safety." - GMANews.TV