FDA finds no fungal toxin contaminated Nagaraya nuts
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in Negros Oriental has reported that at least three major grocery stores in this city did not carry the batch of Nagaraya cracker nuts that were recalled for fungal toxin content.
Vicky Sibala, lone FDA employee of the province, on Wednesday disclosed that, upon inspection, not a single pack of the contaminated Nagaraya cracker nut original butter flavor (160 grams) was found on the shelves of the grocery stores of Lee Super Plaza, Robinson’s, and Cang’s Inc.
Sibala, accompanied by representatives of the DTI provincial office, on Tuesday started inspecting the different stores in the city to verify whether this particular batch of Nagaraya was already recalled after it was found to have contained an unacceptable level of aflatoxin.
On Monday, FDA issued an advisory for the recall of Nagaraya cracker nut original butter flavor (160 grams) identified under Lot No. 14019 with expiry date 01242015F. Food Industries, Inc., the distributor of the popular product, initiated the recall after this particular batch was found to have high levels of aflatoxin, a type of fungi toxin that could be carcinogenic and prove harmful to humans when taken in large doses.
Sibala said that while the bigger grocery stores in Dumaguete are not selling the recalled Nagaraya product, her office will resume inspecting the smaller stores when she returns today from a work-related trip to Manila.
The FDA officer in Negros Oriental said she still cannot determine whether all stocks of the recalled Nagaraya cracker nuts were already taken down from the shelves in the various stores in the province.