Consumers warned vs banned food dressing with poppy seeds

Health authorities warned the public this week against buying a brand of food dressing and dip products for containing poppy seeds.

The Food and Drug Administration said the "Kraft" brand food dressing and dip products with poppy seeds are banned due to a joint advisory dating back to February 21, 2011.

"It is hereby ordered that all supermarkets and groceries pull out from their shelves the said products and immediately inform the FDA at telephone no. 857-1900 or email the FDA at info@fda.gov.ph or report@fda.gov.ph," the FDA said in an advisory posted on its website August 19.

Also, it urged consumers who have the Kraft products to "discontinue using the same and immediately surrender these items to the nearest PDEA national or any regional office or to FDA in Alabang or in any Center for Health Development in the region."

The FDA said the case is now under FDA investigation, in collaboration with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's Office of the Director General.

It added Kraft Philippines Inc. is cooperating in the investigation.

"Regardless of the outcome of the laboratory test results on the content of opium alkaloids, all poppy seed containing food and culinary products are banned from entering the Philippine market," it stressed.

The FDA cited a February 21, 2011 joint advisory by it and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on opium poppy seeds.

In the advisory, they ordered establishments to "immediately stop the importation, sale, trading, administration, dispensation, distribution, delivery and transportation of poppy seeds and products containing poppy seeds."

The FDA asked all local government units to assist FDA food inspectors in "monitoring and reporting any activities related to the importation, sale or movement of the said product."

Meanwhile, Kraft Foods Philippines confirmed in an e-mailed statement to GMA News Online that the Kraft Poppy Seed Dressing product has been pulled from shelves as of August 19, and that the product is being imported and distributed by a third party company.

"We would like to clarify that this product does not pose any threat to consumers' health," read the statement. "We have acted quickly to pull it out in accordance with the FDA advisory.

"Our consumers’ welfare will always come first. As such we would like to assure that all our products pass through very stringent quality testing and standards." — VC/KG, GMA News