Tainted Foods and Drinks From Taiwan
Posted on: June 1, 2011
- In: Contamination | DEHP | PHL FDA | Taiwan Products
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For several years there are many trends here in the Philippines like imported bottled drinks and packed foods from Taiwan but our Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found out that those foods and drinks can be harmful into our health.
FDA Director Suzette Lazo issued an advisory for an immediate recall of “tentatively identified selected brands” of food products imported from Taiwan which contaminated by Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or (DEHP).
Lazo said, “products whether registered or not with the FDA but identified on the list shall be recalled or disposed of accordingly.” She also advised and ordered the same actions on Taiwan-made products not found on the list but unregistered with the agency.
The list provided by the Taiwan authorities included more than 200 food brands of fruit juices, sports drinks, soft drinks, jellies, teas and jams. Only those 66 brands are still available in the local market.
Meanwhile, the Taiwanese Food and Drug Administration reported that 465,638 bottles of juice, fruit jams, syrups, fruit and yogurt powders, tea beverages and sports drinks contaminated with DEHP have been recalled. More than 136,000 boxes and 38,000 packs of powdered probiotics, and other products, have also been removed from the shelves, according to FDA’s counterpart in Taiwan.
For the local consumers who bought Taiwanese products, please call the FDA Hotline at (632) 807-8275 or visit the website at http://www.bfad.gov.ph. Thank you.
What is DEHP?
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most cost effective and widely available general purpose plasticisers. It is used mainly for making PVC soft and pliable and it accounts for around 18% of all plasticiser usage in Western Europe.
DEHP (CAS No [117-81-7]) is also known as di-octyl phthalate (DOP). It is the phthalate ester of the alcohol 2-ethyl hexanol, which is normally manufactured by the dimerisation of butyraldehyde, the butyraldehyde itself being synthesised from propylene.
DEHP is a plasticiser which offers a good all-round performance and is therefore used for a great many cost-effective, general purpose products including building material such as flooring, cables, profiles and roofs, as well as medical products such as blood bags and dialysis equipment. While low doses of the chemical are safe, prolonged exposure could have harmful effects to health.
