Mang Tomas lechon sauce, UFC bpineapple sauce, AJufran’s specialty sauces have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to resume shipments to the United States, as announced by Nutri-Asia, Inc., the Philippine manufacturer of the products, on November 7.
On November 4, a social media post by vlogger Cabalen Foodie went viral, highlighting the temporary suspension of shipments of such sauces to the US.
The US FDA issued this import alert No. 99-45 on October 25 on products that are or contain unsafe food additives.
Among the ingredients in Philippine products were benzoate, a preservative that negatively affects the gut microbiome; BHA, another preservative with carcinogenic potential; and Potassium iodate, a dough enhancer that in high doses disrupts thyroid functions.
Other Philippine companies whose products were flagged included Heinz UFC Philippines Inc. and HDR FOODS CORPORATION.
Manufacturers must “adequately demonstrate that the company has resolved the circumstances giving rise to the appearance of the violation” to have their products removed from the Red List.
NutriAsia ensures that its products meet regulatory requirements in the countries to which they are exported, the company said.
“In the Philippines, food products are legally required to be used [the food additive] Potassium iodate, while the US FDA recently announced new requirements surrounding this ingredient,” the statement said. “As such, the discussion surrounding potassium iodate today is not a safety issue, but rather a legal requirement that varies by country.”
The company has since reformulated its products and received approval for introduction into the US market. – Patricia B. Mirasol