The canned tuna distributed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to residents of Oriental Mindoro has been submitted for testing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) following complaints of an unusual taste.
The DSWD's fact-finding board met with the suppliers of Ocean's Best Tuna, one of the food items in the Family Food Packs, and recommended the submission of samples for testing.
The complaints received by the DSWD range from an "unacceptable and unusual taste" to being "smells like rotten eggs" and "unpalatable."
DSWD spokesperson Romel Lopez said that the agency will wait for the results of the FDA tests to determine if the canned tuna flakes are safe for consumption or not.
“The DSWD will wait for the results of the FDA tests as this will determine objectively and scientifically whether the questioned canned tuna flakes are really safe for the consumption of the beneficiaries or not,” the department said in a released statement.
The DSWD's stockpile of canned tuna has not expired as samples of the canned goods showed that its expiration is in 2025, two years from now.
However, the FDA test will determine if the expiration date stamped on the cans corresponds to the quality of the tuna flakes inside.
“The FDA test will also determine if the expiration date stamped on the cans really corresponds to the state and quality of the tuna flakes inside cans,” the spokesperson said.
If the FDA test result turns against Ocean's Best Tuna, the DSWD has various options, including the replacement of the whole lot by the suppliers and other sanctions such as withholding of payment and even blacklisting from the list of accredited suppliers.
The complaints were initially reported by DSWD beneficiaries from the City of Calapan and the municipalities of Naujan, Bulalacao, and Roxas in Oriental Mindoro, which has been affected by an oil spill crisis that has disrupted the livelihood of thousands of people.
