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Fruits, vegetables sold in Zambo contain formalin? |
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Source Sunstar
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Saturday, 27 October 2007 |
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THE local government has called for an investigation on reports that vegetables and fruits coming from Zamboanga del Sur and sold in Zamboanga City allegedly contain formalin.
The move came after the City Council passed a resolution sponsored by Councilor Reynerio Candido, chairman of the agriculture committee, stipulating the reported treatment of the vegetables and fruits with formalin.
Candido sponsored the resolution after a copy of a Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council (PAFC) report, disclosing such practice by some farmers, reached the City Council.
Candido said this is alarming as far as this city is concerned because "they themselves declare that the fruits and vegetables coming from Zamboanga del Sur are treated with chemical to preserve freshness."
The fruits and vegetables are reportedly being sold at the Bagsakan Center in Sta. Cruz Commercial Complex, which serves as the drop-off point of farm produced in Zamboanga City.
The City Agriculturist Office (CAO) has already taken samples of the fruits and vegetables and turned these over to the City Health Office.
City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos said the samples would be sent to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) for laboratory analysis.
Initially, Agbulos said the people who consume food treated with formalin will not feel the bad effect of the chemical, but in the long run their body systems will be affected.
He advised the buying public to wash thoroughly before cooking the farm products bought at the Bagsakan Center, as the City waits for the results of the laboratory analysis on the samples.
He said the fruits and vegetables must be soaked in water for quite sometime in order to neutralize the effect of the chemical like formalin.
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