Bakers seek govt advisory on Turkish flour

A group of bakers on Sunday appealed to the government to issue an advisory on whether or not Turkish flour is safe for public consumption. Lucito Chavez, vice president of Philippine Federation of Bakers Association Inc. (PFBAI), said a public advisory is needed so that bakers can decide whether or not to continue using flour from Turkey in their breads. “The bakers cannot be blamed for using Turkish flour because there is no prohibition from using this," he said at the weekly Balitaan sa Tinapayan news forum in Sampaloc, Manila. He also noted that imported flour is cheaper by P100 to P200 compared to local flour.

This came amid reports that Turkish flour contains mycotoxins, which are toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain species of fungi. The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Laboratory Services Division is currently testing samples of Turkish flour for the presence of mycotoxins. Chavez said the advisory must come from the Department of Health (DOH) and the Bureau of Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), even as he noted that the issue on the Turkish flour could be just a “business strategy." “We never heard citizens of Turkey die from consuming Turkish flour," he said. Meanwhile, representatives from manufacturers of Turkish flour being imported to the Philippines arrived in the country last March 26 to assure FDA officials that their products are fit for human consumption. The manufacturers also promised to submit a special certification from the Turkish government that their flour is safe, adding that their flour is routinely tested for the presence of toxic substances by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs before being exported to other countries. For her part, DOH Secretary Esperanza Cabral assured the public that they are “on top of the situation." “If and when it is proven that Turkish flour is indeed unsafe, they can expect us to take immediate and decisive action", she said. - KBK, GMANews.TV