Tentay denies using synthetic acid in vinegar

Condiments firm Tentay Food Sauces, Inc. denied using synthetic acetic acid in its products even as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed three of its vinegar variants as substandard.

According to Ian Cruz in his report for 24 Oras on Friday, the company has taken all three variants included in the FDA's list off the market, as well as halted the production of vinegar in their factory altogether.     

"Hindi namin nilagay pero may traces so we have to investigate also our suppliers," Tentay Food Sauces, Inc. president and CEO Velia Cruz said.   

"Nakakalungkot on our part kung di maiintindihan ng ating mamayan, ang mamimili, na kino-consider nila ang Tentay ay substandard," she added.

According to the CEO, their vinegar products were made from a mixture of vinegar concentrate, water as well as a cloudifying agent which likened its appearance to that of naturally fermented vinegar.

Vinegar also comprised only 5 to 8 percent of Tentay's production, a bulk of which was other condiments like fish sauce.       

"Mapapatunayan naman namin 'yan sa mga exporting countries. We've been dealing with US, Canada, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Saipan, Guam and the Middle East na were compliant. hindi papasok ang produkto mo don kung hindi ka itetest ng... FDA nila," Cruz said.

According to the report, the FDA was following a 1970 Department of Health administrative order which prohibits not only the use of synthetic acetic acid but also any cloudifying agent in vinegar.   

"Maski Philippine Nuclear [Research Institute] (PNRI) iba ang test, so is FDA, iba. Sana magkaroon lang ng harmonization ang gagawing test at maituro kung ano 'yung test na 'yon," Cruz said.  

The FDA said it will coordinate with the PNRI in inspecting the manufacturing facilities of the vinegar brands to verify if they indeed use synthetic acetic acid in production.

"We want to cooperate with them with the studies," Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo also said.

"Mas maganda kung FDA, PNRI and DOST (Department of Science and Technology) do it hand in hand so we can share all the information before at saka matingnan natin kung paano ishe-share sa public," Domingo added. —Margaret Claire Layug/LDF, GMA News