SEATTLE — An alleged ban on banana ketchup, lechon sauce, and anchovy paste or bagoong from the Philippines has prompted some Filipinos here to stock up and hoard, leaving in its wake empty store shelves and an artificial supply shortage.
Empty shelves at a Filipino grocery in California.
Elaine V, a Filipina based in San Francisco and Las Vegas asked a group chat: “Have you guys heard that they are banning Mang Tomas and banana ketchup?”
She said reports reached her that Seafood City in Las Vegas ran out of Mang Tomas lechon sauce, and UFC and Jufran banana ketchup.
“So, I checked it out at the Seafood City near my house and they are out. I think people are panic buying for these items,” she said.
Another Filipina based in Duarte, California, Joan G., who happened to be in Manila for a brief vacation, said: “Nag hoard na ako. Parang pang sari-sari store ang laman ng luggage ko.”
It turned out not to be a ban but a Detention Without Physical Examination or DWPE where products believed to be containing harmful ingredients are stopped at the borders.
Import alerts have also been issued for products from other countries and not just the Philippines.
Ingredients of concern reportedly found in the Philippine-made products include Benzoate, a preservative that has a negative impact on gut microbiome; BHA, another preservative with carcinogenic potential; Potassium Iodate, a dough strengthener that interferes with thyroid functions in high doses; Sodium Benzoate, another preservative; and TBHQ.
The US Food and Drug Administration issued import alert No. 99-45 published on October 25, 2024 on products that contain unsafe food additives.
Other than the harmful additives, import alerts were also issued against countries with misbranded or mislabeled products.
All the manufacturers need to do is to change the ingredients so they can go back on the green list.
Enterprising grocery owners have reportedly jacked up the prices of the banana ketchup they have in stock to $20 for a small bottle, and $29 for a big bottle from the previous $1.49 to $2.79, respectively.
Other import alerts were also issued for kasubha or safflower and hard candies from the Philippines.
Import alerts are issued for food products, including dietary supplements, that have been imported or offered for import into the United States that are adulterated under section 402(a)(2)(C)(i) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) [21 U.S.C. 342(a)(2)(C)(i)] in that they are or contain any food additive that is unsafe within the meaning of section 409 of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. 348].
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