Piñol says ‘fake vinegars’ affecting local vinegar industry

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol. INQUIRER FILE

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from affecting the health of Filipinos, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said that “fake vinegars” were also doing harm to the local vinegar-making industry.

“My concern with this is not only on health, but also livelihood.  Nu’ng araw, ang laki ng kita ng ating magsusuka, ‘yung sukang Paombong, ‘yung sukang Iloco, suka ng nipa, niyog, pati sugarcane,” he said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer on Wednesday.

“Ngayon nawalan sila ng hanap-buhay kasi pumasok ang mga murang suka na ang ginagamit pala ay synthetic acetic acid,” he added.

Last May 11, the Department of Science and Technology said the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) found that out of 360 vinegar brands in the country, eight out of 10 used synthetic acetic acid unlike other variants which used natural ingredients.

READ: 8 out of 10 vinegar brands found to be fake, says DOST

Earlier, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officer-in-charge Rolando Enrique Domingo said it would revoke the certificates of product registration of the fake vinegar brands.

READ: Registration ng ‘fake’ vinegar products babawiin ng FDA

Piñol said he had been receiving messages from people, asking the Department of Agriculture to release the list of ‘fake vinegar’ products.  However, he said the list was with the FDA, which is under the Department of Health.

“Ang hinihingi ng mga tao, sabi ‘pangalanan niyo na.’”  Sabi ko, “‘Wala sa akin ‘yong listahan, nasa FDA’,” he explained.

“I believe the FDA would release it anytime soon,” he added. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)