Mekeni Food Corp. cleared to redistribute processed pork products

December 6, 2019

Mekeni Food Corp. announced that it will redistribute pork-based products. 

The announcement on Friday was made after the Food and Drug Administration issued an endorsement to the company. 

Mekeni sought for an FDA clearance after batches of its pork-based hotdogs and loganiza were tested positive for African Swine Fever last October. 

"Last November 22, Mekeni personally 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)," Mekeni said in a statement. 

The independent test revealed that the company's raw meat materials and pork-based products were a 100 percent negative for ASF. 

"Upon due evaluation of the submitted documents ad as agreed during our meeting, please be advised that this Office allows the redistribution of there processed pork meat products that tested negative of ASF," said Domingo in a letter addressed to Mekeni. 

Mekeni President Prudencio Garcia assured that the company will test all raw meat sourced locally and abroad for the virus. He added that periodic environmental swabbing will be conducted to prevent potential contamination. 

The company has also appointed a food safety and quality officer to head a "second layer of testing" for its products. 

"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," said Garcia. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS