MANILA, Philippines — Processed pork products manufactured by Pampanga-based Mekeni Food Corp. have tested positive for African swine fever (ASF) following a series of tests done by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
This prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to partner with the National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) to further investigate other meat processing plants in the country to ensure the safety of food items with pork.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar also ordered the implementation of “elevated measures” in terms of quarantine procedures at national and local levels.
2 products positive for ASF
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Ronnie Domingo confirmed at a press conference with FDA, NMIS and DA on Monday that products manufactured by Mekeni, such as skinless longganisa and hot dogs, tested positive for ASF.
The test was conducted after BAI officials seized Mekeni-branded and homemade pork products at the City of Calapan port in Oriental Mindoro province on Oct. 6.
Before the announcement, Mekeni’s management had already recalled all its pork-related products in the market on Oct. 26.
“It is unfortunate that despite our adherence to regulatory protocols, specific batches of two of our products, Mekeni Picnic Hotdog Regular 500g and Mekeni Skinless Longaniza (Uncooked) 200g, were found to have DNA traces of ASF,” the company said in a statement on Monday.
Operations suspended
“Operations of our pork-based processing area had been suspended since Oct. 26, and the facility has been cleansed and disinfected. A third-party company has also been engaged to do swabbing and testing of the facility before we resume operations,” it added.
The company said all products that had been recalled were currently quarantined, while a batch sampling had been submitted to an independent laboratory to trace the source of the ASF DNA virus.
Domingo said further investigation would be made to determine where Mekeni sources its raw materials for the processing of its products, which were found tainted with ASF.
Officials from the DA and the Department of Health (DOH) would comprise the compulsive team.
Health Undersecretary and FDA officer in charge Eric Domingo said on Monday that the agency had already inspected the 63 biggest meat processing plants in the country including Mekeni—all of which were found to be compliant with regulatory standards and processes.
The agency is targeting to inspect the remaining 115 meat processing plants by the end of the week with NMIS so the latter could also take samples from these plants.
Any violation by these meat processors may result in revocation of their permits to operate.
“We have authorized NMIS to inspect meat products because of the lack of FDA inspectors. We would also work with the BOC (Bureau of Customs) and DOH to check processed meat products, whether for commercial use or personal. As this crisis continues, we’ll be working very closely with the DA,” Domingo said.
No health risk
Despite the announcement, Domingo reiterated that the ASF virus does not pose any health risks to humans and consumption of meat products tainted with ASF would not affect human health.
The NMIS officer in charge, executive director Reildrin Morales, said intergovernment agencies were already planning a national zoning plan to contain the ASF disease and monitor movement and sale of pork and pork-related products in the country.
The national zoning plan would be a 45-page document that would map the areas positive for ASF, as well as those areas that remains free from ASF.