DTI to remove ‘salty’ instant noodles off shelves once FDA issues recall order

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) stands ready to enforce the removal of instant noodles from retail markets once the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues a recall order if such products are found to have a high sodium content.

Interviewed on PTV’s public briefing on Friday, DTI Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Ruth Castelo said Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual already endorsed Senator Raffy Tulfo's concerns over noodle salt content to the FDA and the Department of Health (DOH).

At the budget hearing of the DTI, Tulfo said that various brands of instant noodles have more than 1,600 milligrams (mg) of sodium while a person can only consume 2,000mg of sodium a day.

Castelo said that the FDA had the authority to issue a recall order against products found non-compliant to standards.

“Kapag nakapaglabas na ng recall order ang FDA, katulong nila ang DTI sa pag-enforce nito,” she said.

(Once the FDA issues a recall order, the DTI will aid them in enforcing it.)

“‘Pag nag-order ng recall ang FDA tatanggalin natin ‘yan sa bulletin at sisiguraduhin natin na hindi na siya nabebenta sa retail market,” she added.

(Once the FDA issues a recall order, we will remove it in the bulletin and we will ensure that these products won’t be sold in the retail market.)

“Actually, nagpapasalamat kami kay Senator Tulfo for bringing this up in the budget hearing… medyo na-alerto din ang DTI,” Castelo said.

(Actually, we are thankful to Senator Tulfo for bringing this up in the budget hearing… this alerted the DTI.)

The DTI official said that immediately after the hearing, Pascual endorsed it to FDA as well as DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire “para tignan talaga ng DOH at FDA yung sodium content ng instant noodles dahil mataas nga po, according to Senator Tulfo.”

(So the FDA and DOH can look into the sodium content of instant noodles because these are high in sodium as per Senator Tulfo.) — DVM, GMA News