Food or poison?

Istanbul University of Turkey has declared in the global Journal of Food that Turkish flour, which is being imported into our country, is contaminated with cancer-causing mycotoxin.

Yet our own Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has pronounced that it is safe for human consumption, endangering the health of millions of Filipino consumers of pan de sal and other bread products made of Turkish flour.

How come the FDA released in advance to the Turkish Embassy the result of its “test,” one week before informing the public through the media? Does this not suggest undue influence?

Is it true that some government officials had been “wined and dined” by a lobby group of local importers and Turkish traders, resulting in a favorable finding for the Turkish flour?

If the shelf life of flour is only one month before it develops mold and insects, how come Turkish flour in the Philippines has been given one-year expiry dates?

Is this the reason behind reports that Turkish flour sold in the Philippines is infested with lice and mold, the primary source of cancer-causing mycotoxins?

Why do our government officials turn a blind eye to this issue, placing the health and safety of our people at risk just so some greedy traders can make a killing?

Can the Turkish ambassador’s self-serving claim that the flour sold and consumed in Turkey has the same “high quality” as the flour exported to our country be believed?

The price of Turkish flour in Turkey at the Polatli Commodity Exchange averages at US$500 per metric ton, while that which reaches the Philippines is valued at less than US$300 per metric ton reference value set by the Bureau of Customs. Is not our country being made a dumping ground for uneatable Turkish flour?

The Turkish flour imported into the Philippines is grossly undervalued possibly to escape customs duties and taxes as well.

With Customs setting the reference value of imported flour at $300 per metric ton, Turkish flour is being imported at a suspiciously much lower value as shown by the chart below.

SAMPLE OF WHEAT FLOUR ARRIVALS FROM TURKEY

Port of Manila, MICP/ As of March 5, 2010

IMPORTER Entry Date Net Weight Declared CNF

(March)

Ingredient Mngt. Asia 3-March-10 120 MT $89.58/MT

(February)

Malabon Long Life 24-Feb-10 337.50 MT $295/MT

Mountain Glory Ent. 22-Feb-10 960 MT $186.25/MT

(January)

Uni-Trade Mfg. Corp. 27-Jan-10 240 MT $199.99/MT

Is the Food Expo showcasing Turkish flour at SMX Center some kind of damage-control, an effort to show how Turkish flour can be mixed with other flour to mask its low-nutrient content as established by an earlier BFAD order for it to be fortified?

Is it at the Expo where preservatives and flavourings will be mixed to mask the moldy taste of Turkish flour?

President Benigno Aquino III should look into this matter because it involves his concern of technical smuggling and corruption at the Bureau of Customs, not to mention the danger posed to the health of millions of Filipinos consuming Turkish flour.

What’s the difference between mycotoxin and the nicotine in cigarettes, when they both kill, albeit slowly?

With Indonesia already moving to stop the dumping of Turkish flour there, the Philippine government should no less to protect our people and to stop smuggling at the Bureau of Customs.

Once more, we appeal to P-Noy to ban the entry of garbage flour into our country!

“ANG PAGPILI PARA SA IKABUBUTI NG TAUMBAYAN;

ANG PAGTANAW SA INTERES NG NAKARARAMI;

ANG PAGKAPIT SA PRINSIPYO… ITO PO ANG TUWID NA DAAN.”

--President Noynoy Aquino