A LOCAL producer of herbal supplements, which has been in business since 1994, agreed that there are a number of dubious food supplements being sold in the market and that consumers should be aware of these.
Davao Inventor’s Association (DIA) President and owner of MI Herbal-Invent Foods Manufacturing Virgilio Sangutan said that production of such supplements is under stringent watch of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); certification then should be the first thing buyers should look for.
Explaining his products, he said, MI Herbal is a Davao-based manufacturer of herbal food supplements, coffees, and herbal liniments that had been in the industry since 1994.
They are the pioneering manufacturer of food supplements nationwide since many others only started in the business in 2004.
MI is produced in a one-hectare manufacturing plant in Carmen, Davao del Norte, which has five buildings, one building each for the different product lines.
Sangutan said it is a requirement of the FDA that manufacturing companies should allot one separate building for each product that are being produced to avoid contamination, of which MI Herbal products had been complying with since the company started operation.
For a health supplement to be called therapeutic, it must undergo and pass clinical studies conducted by medical experts.
Also, for it to be available in drugstores nationwide, it must be FDA-registered.
Sangutan added that it is a disadvantage for unregistered food supplement manufacturers because their products will not be accepted in huge drugstores nationwide limiting their reach to the Filipino consumers.
He said that a License to Operate (LTO) number must be present on the label of the product, as also the expiration date, proper labeling, font size and style, and the proper branding.
Health products that have not undergone research and development might have ill effects to the consumers or might not be able to deliver expected results at all even if it claims to be herbal or organic.
He shared his experience being a registered food supplement dealer in Davao City that FDA is actually very strict from the smallest details as the proper font size to as important as the scientific basis of how therapeutic the herbal product claims to be.
FDA had also previously warned the consumers of unregistered food supplements and cosmetic items that are sold in the market and online.
Republic Act 9711, or the FDA Act of 2009, “prohibits the importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale and distribution of any health product that is adulterated, unregistered, or misbranded.”
FDA also encourages the public to verify if the product is FDA-registered or not at www.fda.gov.ph.
“Type in the name or the registration number of the product at the search bar located at the upper right hand corner. If the search produces no result, then it is highly probable that the product is not FDA registered,” as per FDA official website.
Inquiries can also be made through info@fda.gov.ph, while reports and complaints against unregistered food supplements can be emailed to report@fda.gov.ph.
