FDA: 3 weeks needed to test high-risk products from Taiwan

Filipino consumers may have to wait at least three weeks before they get a clear picture of which food products from Taiwan are not contaminated with Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a potentially cancer-causing plastic additive. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also admitted it is forced to conduct random tests because it has yet to receive from Taiwan a list of suspected products containing DEHP. "It will take us three weeks to do the analysis... medyo komplikado," FDA deputy director Nazarita Tacandong said in an interview on dzBB radio. She also said they are forced to conduct random checks of items from Taiwan, buying samples of products with "Made in Taiwan" written in the packaging. In the meantime, she advised mothers of pupils getting ready for school: "Huwag muna sila bumili ng inumin na fruit juice at sports drink at jelly na galing sa Taiwan hanggang hindi ito nasuring mabuti." Also, she said the FDA is working with the Bureau of Customs to check if there are recent importations of possible high-risk products from Taiwan. Tacandong said the FDA did not get many clues from Taiwan, even if its FDA informed its Philippine counterpart of the problem. "We are having a hard time because Taiwan did not specify products suspected of containing DEHP. So we had to take any product that had 'Made in Taiwan' in the packaging," she said. Worse, she said most of the items they bought for testing are not registered with the FDA. Tacandong also said that while the Taiwan FDA mentioned at least one Philippine-based firm supposedly importing products from Taiwan, their verification was futile. She said the address specified in the information from Taiwan no longer hosted the supposed importer. "Matagal na raw sarado yan at di pagkain ang kanilang ini-import (The firm specified in the information had been closed and did not import food items)," she said. According to Tacandong, items with DEHP may threaten the reproductive systems of consumers, especially children. Supermarkets to help consumers Supermarkets offered to help consumers who may have bought high-risk products from Taiwan. Philippine Association of Supermarkets Inc. secretary general Federico Ples said this as he admitted some supermarkets' sales are becoming affected. "Kung nakabili kayo niyan... puwede isauli yan, tutulungan namin kayo. Tatanggapin namin yan kung may resibo na nagpapakita na sa amin binili....," he said in an interview on dwIZ radio. Those without receipts can still get help although it will be limited to directing them on where to return the products, he added. Advisory Last Monday, the FDA instructed the temporary removal from supermarkets and retail stores of high-risk products. In FDA Advisory 2011-007, FDA Director Suzette Lazo said Taiwan is also cooperating to provide more information, and that her agency has established a direct link with Taiwan’s own FDA. “As a precautionary measure and pending identification of implicated products, FDA will instruct supermarkets and retail stores to temporarily remove from the store shelves identified high-risk products that include sports drinks, soft drinks, fruit juices and jellies and until such time when these have been proven to be free of the contaminant DEHP," she said. She added the Department of Trade and Industry has also been “informed" of this move. Earlier, Taiwanese authorities discovered DEHP, a plasticizer, had been illegally added to a food product raw material “cloudy agent," which improves emulsification of the product. The discovery had triggered a food scare in Taiwan. On Tuesday, environmental group EcoWaste Coalition asked businesses in Manila’s Chinatown district to stop selling “high-risk" products from Taiwan that have not been declared safe from DEHP. The group said these items include fruit jams and preserves, fruit juices, sports drinks, teas, food powders and food or food supplement tablets. “We have come here today with an urgent plea to all importers, distributors and vendors of high-risk beverage, food and medicinal goods from Taiwan to temporarily stop from selling such products until consumer safety from DEHP is totally guaranteed," said Aileen Lucero, the group’s chemical safety campaigner. “Loyal customers will surely thank and reward businessmen who look after their health and safety," she added. The group cited data from the Taiwan FDA showing that as of last Friday (May 29), up to 465,638 bottles of DEHP-tainted beverages have been pulled out from store shelves. Also, up to 270,822 boxes and 68,924 packs of powdered probiotics and 28,539 kilos of fruit juices, fruit jam, powder and syrup, and yoghurt powder have been removed from shelves. — LBG, GMA News