FDA approves redistribution of Mekeni’s pork products

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has endorsed the redistribution of Mekeni Food Corp.’s pork-based products, the company said on Friday.

The Pampanga-based Mekeni is ready to bring its products back to the market after securing an endorsement from the FDA, the company said in a statement.

On October 26, the meat-processing company voluntarily recalled its products from the market amid speculations of African Swine Fever (ASF) contamination.

Tests commissioned by the Department of Agriculture confirmed that a couple of products from Mekeni were positive of the ASF virus.

“The need for FDA clearance arose when specific batches of Mekeni Picnic Red Classic Hotdog 500g and Skinless Longaniza 200g were tested positive for DNA traces of African Swine Fever (ASF),” Mekeni said.

Last November 22, The company submitted and presented to Health Undersecretary and FDA officer-in-charge Rolando Enrique Domingo the corrective actions taken by the company, as well as the results of the independent test conducted by Standard Global Services (SGS).

SGS is a leading inspection and verification company.

The FDA, through Domingo, gave Mekeni the clearance in a letter stating that, “Upon due evaluation of the submitted documents and as agreed during our meeting, please be advised that this Office allows the redistribution of these processed pork meat products that tested negative for ASF.”

The FDA clearance and SGS results are assurances that all Mekeni pork-based products to be released in the market, as well as its facilities, equipment, and raw meat materials, are 100% negative of the ASF virus DNA, the company said.

While waiting for the official laboratory results from SGS and the Bureau of Animal Industry, Mekeni withdrew all its pork-based products to help stop the ASF virus from further spreading—a proactive measure that both the FDA and the Department of Agriculture (DA) commended, Mekeni noted.

“During that difficult time, even if we knew that the business will be greatly affected, we chose to uphold our core values and put the welfare of the general public above all else,” Mekeni president Prudencio Garcia said.

“Even though the Department of Health (DOH) has stated that ASF posts no risks to humans, we take the issue seriously and have spared no expense to further bolster our processes,” Garcia said.

The company has committed to 100% thorough testing for ASF of all incoming raw meats sourced locally and from abroad.

“A periodic environmental swabbing of its facilities will also be conducted to prevent potential contamination,” it said.

A dedicated food safety and quality officer has been appointed to head a second layer of testing.

These measures are on top of the company’s strict compliance with all regulations and certifications set by the government, as all meats coming to the plant for processing are certified by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and have the necessary sanitary and phytosanitary clearances, Garcia said.

“The procedures we have adopted in product testing and in our manufacturing facility are in line with our commitment to provide only the highest standards of food quality. We are happy that these tests have yielded negative results and we can again share our products to our customers,” Garcia added.

This maybe an isolated case that could happen to any meat processor using the same processes and the same raw meats, Mekeni noted, saying it will continue working with the DA, DOH and NMIS to implement a more comprehensive plan to mitigate the spread of the ASF virus and help prevent other meat processors from encountering similar problems. —VDS, GMA news