FDA to public: Check your ‘Spam’ for metal shards

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned of possible contamination in luncheon meat products amid reports of orally-injured American consumers due to metal pieces in “Spam” products.

In the United States, Hormel Foods Corporation issued a recall order for more than 228,000 pounds of Spam and other products due to reports of metal shards found inside containers.

In response, the FDA urged Filipino consumers in an advisory to be vigilant in consuming “Spam® Classic Luncheon Loaf and Hormel Food Black-Label Luncheon Loaf.”

The FDA advisory was issued “due to the possibility that they contain pieces of metal (that) might cause injury to consumers.”

“The public is advised to observe caution in the consumption of Spam® Classic Luncheon Loaf and Hormel Food Black-Label Luncheon Loaf due to possible contamination,” the FDA noted.

While the recall order was issued in the United States, the FDA was not ruling out any possibility that contaminated batches were being sold in Philippine markets.

According to the FDA, affected batches of Spam products bear the following product codes: FO20881, FO20882, FO20883, FO20884, FO20885, FO20886, FO20887, FO20888, and FO20889 – all of which have “Best By” date of February 2021.

On the other hand, affected batches of Hormel Food Black-Label Luncheon Loaf bear the following product codes: FO2098, and FO2108 – all with “Best By” date of February 2021.

“Consumers are thus urged to check the bottom of the container/can of these products to check before consuming them,” the FDA said.

If the products were found to be contaminated, consumers should “immediately destroy/return to the establishment where they purchased it, and report to the FDA through [email protected],” it said.  /kga

For more details, please check out FDA Advisory No. 2018-193 (https://ww2.fda.gov.ph/index.php/advisories-2/food-2/510118-fda-advisory-no-2018-193-recall-of-spam-classic-and-hormel-food-black-label-luncheon-loaf-due-to-possible-contamination)