BFAD to consumers: Snub unlicensed food products

In the wake of the danger posed by formalin-laced food items, authorities urged consumers over the weekend to refrain from buying imported food products without licensed distributors. Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) deputy director Joshua Ramos said this is the only way they can discourage the entry of contaminated food items into the country. “There are areas where these foods can be dumped. Very porous ang border natin. Ang pwedeng gawin, huwag tangkilikin ang di rehistrado (There are areas where these foods can be dumped, because our borders are very porous. One way to counter this is to stop patronizing such products)," Ramos said in an interview on dzBB radio. He also said authorities can consider adding administrative constraints on the entry of such products such as requiring them and their distributors to register. Ramos also batted for more teeth for the Customs Bureau and the Health Department in checking the entry of such products. In the meantime, he said the BFAD will continue to inspect malls and supermarkets to make sure they have pulled out contaminated items from their shelves. The BFAD came out with its initial list of contaminated items last week. Ramos said the BFAD will give establishments up to 30 days to remove the items from their shelves. “Mag-i-inspection pa tayo to make sure these are not sold freely (We will conduct inspections to make sure these items are not sold freely)," he said. Ramos said earlier the BFAD had expanded the list of products to test for formalin, even as he admitted they are virtually helpless in stopping the entry of such products to the country. He said the list of items to test has expanded from food products like candy and biscuits to toothpastes. “Patuloy ang pag-sample at testing. Ang nilabas na resulta kasama sa unang batch na sampled. Marami pang undergoing testing (We are continuing our sampling and testing. The initial list we came out with is just the first batch to be sampled. There are many other products undergoing testing)," he said. - GMANews.TV