Warning out vs expired processed, dairy food

Authorities on Tuesday warned consumers against expired processed food products, including dairy products, proliferating in the market as Christmas draws closer. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked the public to be cautious when buying pre-packaged and processed food products. "Recent reports (have) reached the FDA that some retail establishments or individuals are unscrupulously selling, offering for sale and/or distributing expired prepackaged or processed food including dairy products. Once expired, the safety and quality of these products are already compromised which may cause serious injury or illness to a consumer who (has) eaten or consumed the same," acting FDA director Nazarita Tacandong said in a December 10 memorandum. The memorandum was posted Tuesday on the FDA Web site. Nazarita said the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution and transfer of such food products beyond expiry date violates Republic Act 9711. She said any knowledge or information on any establishment or person selling such expired products should be reported to the FDA. She also reminded manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers of prepackaged or processed food including dairy products to comply with the labeling requirements. Such labeling requirements must include the expiry date among others, Nazarita said. The FDA can be reached through 8094390, 8070751 and 8425606. - GMANews.TV