Priest opens a can of worms – literally
By Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:57:00 11/14/2008
Filed Under: Food, Local authorities
MANILA, Philippines – Worms were allegedly found in a can of a popular processed meat product that was supposed to be served for breakfast Wednesday at the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City.
Fr. Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila, said he saw worms in a tin can of Spam Lite Meatloaf. “From the outside the can showed no defect so (you could not tell) there was something wrong,” he said in an interview.
Spam Lite Meatloaf is a product of Hormel Food Corp. and is distributed locally by Purefoods Corp.
Hormel Foods could not be reached for comment as of press time. Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) tried to call a toll free number that played back a recorded message that said office hours were 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. daily. Purefoods Corp. officials were also unavailable for comment.
The church-run Radio Veritas reported Thursday that Crispinana Pedragoza, of the seminary, bought eight cans of Spam Lite Meatloaf from Puregold Price Clubhouse in Mandaluyong City on Nov. 4
The radio report said Pedragoza screamed when she opened one of the cans. But Pascual said the cans showed an expiry date of August 2011. He said the can was brought to the Radio Veritas office while seven cans were kept in the seminary.
Radio Veritas said they called up the Bureau of Food and Drugs but were told by division chief Joyce Serunay that the National Meat Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture had jurisdiction over the issue. NMIS lawyer Jane Bacayo could not be reached, the report added.
Pascual said they would make a formal complaint to the manufacturer and distributor of Spam. With Elizabeth Sanchez-Lacson
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