TACLOBAN CITY – It shall be of great advantage if the DOST in Region VIII would be accredited by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct Iodine Analysis on Table Salt, because salt samples gathered from entry ports in Eastern Visayas can then be tested immediately--and the “10 day time frame after collection” can be achieved.
Region 8 Food and Drug Administration supervisor and Regional Bantay Asin Task Force (RBATF) chairperson (FDA) Dr. Sonia C. Cabahit said this in reference to preserving the integrity of salt samples collected at port of entries in the region if they could be tested for iodine content soonest, or within 10 days for accuracy.
Cabahit said that our DOST here in Region VIII is not yet accredited by the FDA, meaning whatever result that they will give will not substantiate the fact that it is not yet legal in terms of accreditation.
The RBATF chairperson made these comments during a meeting of the task force at the Commission on Population (PopCom) Conference Room in Government Center, Palo, Leyte on August 18, 2014. The subject was among the discussions of the task force—that is mandated to ensure that salt iodization is carried out by salt manufacturers, and one is by monitoring the salt shipments entering the region.
The ASIN Law was implemented in 1995 to promote and contribute to the elimination of Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) through salt iodization. The law requires the FDA to set and enforce standards for food grade iodized salt and to monitor compliance by the manufacturers.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) here, being member agency of the RBATF, for reference had been carrying out testing of salt samples gathered from entry ports with the use of WYD Checker. But since the DOST Laboratory here is not yet accredited for the said analysis by the FDA, samples has to be shipped to FDA in Cebu, that is using titration method, for the test-results to become official.
It was gathered that as of 2013 only Titration is allowed and the WYD test kit was not yet accepted. Albeit as of March 18, 2014 WYD tester was introduced the Titration method is still being used. And even if the WYD test kit is already available there is no guidelines yet for its use, and no memorandum yet that it is the most reliable method.
For example in regards to salt deliveries in Eastern Visayas during the 2nd Quarter of 2013, result of Salt Analysis by DOST and FDA Cebu showed: Salt Sample 13-05-002, WYD Checker Result – 14.7mg/kg, FDA Result – 22.6 ppm; Salt Sample 13-05-003, WYD Checker Result – 9.95 mg/kg, FDA Result – 17.21 ppm; and Salt Sample 13-05-004, WYD Checker Result – 12.9 mg/kg, FDA Result – 20.56 ppm.
Despite the consistent eight-point difference between the two laboratory tests still they showed that shipments of Table Salt arriving in Region 8 at the Port of Tacloban City, were not adequately iodized as required by law to the standard of 30-70 ppm (parts per million). Accordingly the reason between the consistent difference between the two results was that WYD was not yet calibrated at that time.
Further development is that even when the WYD Test kits given in Leyte were wiped out by Yolanda, replacements is already at National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region 8, in which the RBATF resolved in this meeting that it should be endorsed to Edwin Nuevo of the Philippine Ports Authority—in charge of gathering the salt samples from entry ports, where he also will coordinate with DOST for the iodine analysis.
It was recalled, in this regard, that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was drawn between the NNC and the DOST. Providing that DOST will supply the reagent so that analysis can be conducted immediately. In addition, the immediate and rapid application for accreditation at the FDA by the DOST. But then came Super Typhoon Yolanda and her devastation, so that the NNC for that matter shall follow-up the MOU status, the accreditation and the reagents. (Jack C. Gadaingan)
