Sen. Aquino warns consumers against unsafe products during Christmas season

Sen. Benigno “Bam” Aquino. Photo from Aquino’s official Facebook page.

MANILA – Senator Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino IV on Monday warned the consumers against unsafe and dangerous products that are expected to flood the market specially during Christmas season.

“We must be careful in our everyday purchase because some unscrupulous traders sell low quality or unsafe products despite the danger they bring to the public,” Aquino said.

Aquino, chairman of the Senate committee on trade, commerce and entrepreneurship, advised the public to consider not only the prices but the quality and safety when they purchase products.

”They should buy products from legitimate stores to ensure quality and safety,” he said.

At the same time, the senator made the pronouncement amid the Food and Drugs Administration’s intensified campaign against unsafe products being sold in wet markets.

Among the products being strictly monitored by FDA are products tainted with dye, which is commonly used as food color but some of it contain Rhodamine B that can cause cancer.

According to the FDA, dye is used in chili powder, cheese powder, turmeric powder, paprika powder, atsuete powder, kasubha powder, red gulaman and dried shrimp.

Dyes are also used in fish tapa, fish cracker and snack foods, sugar coated fennel, seasoning mix, spices and blends.

In an advisory, the FDA said Rhodamine B has been shown to be carcinogenic in mammalian models while Sudan dye is commonly used in shoe and floor polish, solvents, oils, waxes and petrol, and is likely to contain heavy metals.