DOH to public: Check food expiration dates, avoid unlabeled products

The Department of Health on Monday reminded the public to be wary of repackaged goods and to avoid consuming goods beyond their expiration date following recent incidents of food poisoning in Mindanao.

Over 300 students from six different schools were hospitalized in Surigao del Sur on Friday after eating durian and mangosteen candies, while 44 pupils from Kidapawan City Pilot Elementary School in Cotabato were rushed to the hospital on the same day after consuming durian candies brought from an ambulent vendor on Thursday morning.

The number of affected individuals has risen to nearly 2,000 as of Monday, according to reports.

Check the dates

In a press briefing on Monday, DOH spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy reminded the public to take precautionary measures when buying or consuming any food products.

Aside from checking the food label for nutritional facts and data, consumers must also be aware of the dates indicated for perishable items or the expiration date, especially of holiday promo products and repacked goods.

Suy reiterated the importance of proper date identification even in repacked food products. Unlabeled goods must be avoided at all costs.

“Sa mag tindahan, liable ang nagdi-distribute kung 'yung nasa shelf nila ay expired nila. Obligasyon nilang i-check every now and then kung ano ang nasa shelf nila. Minsan kumukuha ka na lang ng mga de-lata nang hindi natin chine-check; obligasyon 'yun ng ating distributor. Hindi na liable ang manufacturer kapag na-consume niyo 'yan after the expiration date. Ang may kasalanan na doon ay consumer provided it is properly labeled,” he said.

Suy also urged the public not to eat expired food. “Ibig sabihin, it is not fit for human consumption. Merong mga kumakain dito na sinasabi di pa naman panis. 'Yan nga ang purpose why there is an expiration date. Similar din ito sa drugs. Ang expiration date ay June 10. Sinasabi one week, pwede pa ito. Malaking usapin ito. What is best is to follow the expiration date and beyond this, wag i-insist na mag-consume,” he said.

Repacking requires license

The candies from both incidents were traced to a manufacturer in Davao City. While it has yet to be confirmed if the candies that might have caused the dizziness and vomiting among students were expired or repackaged, Dr. Lulu Bravo of the Food and Drug Administration said that the investigation showed two brands of candies were eaten by the victims. The PNP is now moving to find the sources or manufacturers of these brands.

One of the problems faced by the investigating authorities is the lack of mandatory food registration for all processed food. As of latest and based on the labels seen on the food products consumed by the students, the candies were not on the database of FDA.

Despite this, the agency assures the public that good manufacturing of food products is still and well ensured, as well as the licensing required for distributed goods.

Bravo and Suy also said that consumers must be aware that repacking requires the license to operate.

“Repacking will require the license to operate kaya lahat ng posibleng pinanggalingan na candy ay sinasama namin sa ginagawa naming investigation ngayon. Kung ni-repack mo 'yun, kailangan mong ilagay sa label,” Bravo said.
 
Suy added, “Kailangan may license ka na you are allowed to repack. Lahat yan nire-require kapag ni-repack mo. For you to be able to repack it, kailangan may license ka to repack.”

Immediate medical attention
 
Suy also reminded the public that once food poisoning symptoms surface from a victim, he or she must be brought at once to medical attention instead of applying “home remedies” such as forced vomiting.

“Kung nakakain tapos nakaranas ng mga sintomas, pinakamaganda is to bring the patient agad sa health facilities, health center, hospitals. Wag ipilit isuka dahil baka magasgas ang daanan ng kanin. If we can help the product, if we think it its food poisoning, bring the product along with you... Let’s leave it to the expert. What’s important is na-identify natin, nadala agad sa nearest health facility,” he said. — Bianca Rose Dabu/BM, GMA News