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BFAD checking other brands for salmonella


MANILA, Philippines - Following its advisory against two peanut products found positive for salmonella, the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) has started testing similar products from other manufacturers. But BFAD director Leticia Gutierrez declined to name the peanut product brands they are testing, saying they will only issue advisories against those that test positive. “As per mga ibang brand ng peanut spread, tsine-check namin yan kaya anong resulta na makukuha namin na nag-positive ipa-publish namin yan. Kung wala di namin ipa-publish. Yan ang okay bilhin," she said in an interview on dzXL radio. [We will check other brands of peanut spread. But we will publish only those that test positive. Those that pass our tests are okay for consumption] Last weekend, the BFAD issued an advisory against two batches of peanut spread tainted with salmonella. These included Yummy Sweet and Creamy Peanut Spread 490 grams (Batch 11240810), with expiry date of May 24, 2009; and Yummy Sweet and Creamy Peanut Spread 224 grams (Batch 3040905), with expiry date Sept. 4, 2009. Gutierrez said the BFAD will require a report from the manufacturers every three days on the progress of the recall of the two batches. On the other hand, Gutierrez said the BFAD has also sent teams to continue going around markets to check food products for contamination. But she admitted they lack the needed personnel to do the job on a regular basis. “Kaya lang sa panahon ngayon kulang ang aming tao so random sampling lang ang ginagawa sa merkado [We don’t have enough personnel so we have to do random sampling]," she said. She added the BFAD is monitoring a number of products, but it wouldn’t published the manes unless the agency deems it is necessary to publish for the protection of the public. - GMANews.TV
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