Monitoring of imported canned items for cadmium starts

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs has started the strict monitoring of all container vans loaded with luncheon meat, chocolates, frozen meat, lychees and other canned good intended for the Christmas season. Lourdes Mangaoang, Customs X-Ray Inspection Unit chief, said this is to ensure the safety of the consuming public during the holidays. She advised importers of food products to secure product registration, and license to import and operate before bringing the articles into the country. “All shipments without proper documents are subjects to seizure and because that is considered regulated importations and contrary to law,” she said. This came after the National Meat Inspection Services announced it would conduct laboratory testing to verify reports that certain canned products from China contained high levels of the toxic chemical cadmium. Two China-made canned meat products were found to have cadmium after independent laboratory Qualibet Testing Services Inc. conducted an examination on the products last week. But Mangaoang said their monitoring will not be limited to canned products coming from China. - GMANews.TV