MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 2) Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Bureau of Food and Drugs director Leticia Gutierez on Monday personally served an indefinite suspension order on a maker of peanut butter whose products had been found tainted with salmonella.

The suspension order was received by Pedro Tianzon, president of Samuya Food Corp. in Pasay City.

Duque said the suspension shall remain in effect until Samuya complies with all the requirements to ensure its food products are safe for public consumption.

The health officials also visited several stores in Pasay where the tainted products were being sold and asked the establishments to pull these from their shelves.

Duque said the managers of Liana’s Grocery, Rustan’s Express and Save More Supermarket immediately agreed to take down the Samuya products but the health chief said they would still send a formal order to the stores.

The Department of Health decided to suspend the operations of Samuya, which employs 63 workers at its plant and warehouse, after another of the company’s peanut butter products, Ludy’s Sweet and Creamy, was found contaminated with salmonella.

Earlier, two batches of another Samuya product, Yummy Sweet and Creamy Peanut Spread, were found contaminated with salmonella.

Duque said all Samuya products were "unsafe."

Samuya administrative assistant for legal affairs Myrna Carsolim said the firm has already pulled its Yummy products from the market.

But Duque said a suspension of Samuya’s operations was also necessary because of the firm’s "continuously failing to comply with the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) implemented by BFAD for food manufacturers compromising the good quality and safety of products."

Tianzon sought government help in ensuring compliance and keep his operations going.

"Gusto namin humingi ng tulong sa gobyerno para naman ang buong industry na hindi daw nag-comply [with rules] ay matulungan. Lahat ng requirements sinusunod namin, kaya nga hindi namin alam ngayon alin itong mga lapses at non-compliance [We are asking the help of government so the whole industry, which is allegedly not complying can be helped. We follow all the requirements, so we do not know what lapses and non-compliance we have committed]," Tianzon told INQUIRER.net.