BFAD to issue tainted food list from China

The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) expects to come up by this coming week an initial list of “formalin-tainted" food products from China. BFAD director Leticia Barbara Gutierrez said Saturday they are still conducting tests on sample products to see if they contained the substance. “Next week papalabas kami ano ang may formalin. We want to make sure na kung sinabing meron, meron, at para di masyadong maalarma ang tao (By next week we’ll come up with a list of formalin-tainted food products. We don’t want to rush, we would rather make sure first. Besides, we don’t want to alarm the public)," Gutierrez said in an interview on dzRH radio. Gutierrez, however, also asked the public to send the BFAD samples of foodstuffs that they suspect could be contaminated, so it can analyze them. She said consuming food with formalin may result in stomachaches and vomiting. Also, she advised consumers to look for the “F.R." or food regulation seal in food products to make sure the products had passed through government inspection. On the other hand, she warned stores selling the food products they may face charges, including for selling unregistered items. She said the BFAD has sent out inspection teams to the field to seize suspected goods and bring them to the laboratory of the BFAD’s product services division for analysis. “Nagpapa-recall kami pag nalaman naming smuggled or hindi registered. Makakasuhan ang outlets na yan. Dapat di sila nagtitinda ng di rehistrado sa BFAD (They should recall those products, especially if they turn out to be smuggled or unregistered. We can also file charges against them because they should not be selling food items not registered with BFAD)," she said. - GMANews.TV