DTI to help FDA’s probe into ‘foreign object’ found in processed pork and beans sachet

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry in Negros Oriental has assured the public it will assist the Food and Drugs Administration in investigating into the discovery of a “foreign object” in a sachet of processed pork and beans.

DTI’s Angeline Gonzalez, however, clarified that the provincial FDA, headed by Vicky Sibala will be the lead agency to look into the incident.

The matter was already reported to the FDA while the distributor of the branded pork and beans had attempted to reach the complainant, said Gonzalez.

Also, the store from which the food sachet was purchased has reportedly taken down from the shelves the entire batch of the pork and beans, whose brand has been withheld while investigation is still going on.

Last week, the chief of a government agency in the province, who has requested anonymity pending investigation, reported to authorities that she found a strange looking object in the processed pork and beans sachet she had purchased.

The object, which was uncharacteristic of a pork and beans preparation, measured about the size or a little larger than the bowl of a regular spoon, as shown in photos taken by the complainant.

The pork and beans with the strange-looking object has been forwarded to authorities for laboratory testing.

Meanwhile, the DTI has requested the distributor of this brand of pork and beans to conduct random expiry checks as well as monitor its accounts in the different stores in the province, Gonzalez said.

The DTI is now also monitoring the distributor to see whether it has followed the instructions of the said agency, she added. (FREEMAN NEWS)