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Friday, December 01, 2006
Firm denies link to meat smuggling
By Reynaldo G. Navales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Mekeni Food Corporation (MFC) said Thursday it is saddened by circulating text messages "intended to downgrade its achievements and question the quality of its products."
"Worse are attempts to link the company to illegal activities, such as smuggling of pork," said MFC said in a statement.
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"Linking Mekeni to pork smuggling is baseless. The major product of MFC is hotdog, which comprises approximately 70 percent of its operations. Although it has pork products, these are not in big volume as to push it to smuggled pork," it further said.
The firm said for the Christmas season when the demand for ham products is at its peak, they are limiting the pork to focus more on hotdog production. This has been its position since the start of the fourth quarter of the year, it stated.
The MFC also said big supermarkets and institutions can attest that the company had turned down big orders for ham.
On the food safety issue, the company assured the public that it could never sacrifice the welfare of its customers. "It would not have invested considerably for its ISO 2200 accreditation just to later sacrifice it for whatever reason," it said.
The MFC is the first food processing plant in the Philippines and the first meat processing plant in Asia to earn the ISO 2200 certification.
"It always lives up to its commitment to uphold and protect the welfare of its customers and to maintain their trust," the company said.
AAA
The MFC is an "AAA" Meat Processing Plant accredited with the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). Being classified under the "AAA" category, it is qualified to market its products, not just in the local, but in the international market as well. This means that it is compliant to all government regulatory requirements to assure food quality and safety in its operations.
Among its established program on food safety certified by the NMIS are: the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
All steps in the operation are closely monitored and corresponding tests are undertaken. All steps in the operations are closely monitored, evaluated, and documented. It is ensured that all imported raw meat is with corresponding Veterinary Quarantine Certificates (VQC) issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
An affirmation of MFC's seriousness in the implementation of its food safety programs are the awards that it received: National Winner -- Best "AAA" Meat Processing Plant for three consecutive years from 2004 to 2006 awarded by the NMIS and by the agriculture, health environment and interior departments; 2004 Outstanding Meat-Processed Food Brand during the 21st Annual Year-ended Excellence Award-National Consumer Affairs Foundation and Media Power, Inc.; 2004 National Shoppers' Choice Annual Awards awarded by the ASIA-Pacific Shoppers' Choice Institute, Shoppers' Choice Magazine, Essence Privilege Card, Henz KPMR Marketing, Inc. and the Asian-Philippines Association of Marketing Professionals; plaque of recognition for having "State of the art facility, environment conscious program, producing quality food products to the general public, and creation of employment to the lahar devastated town of Porac" given by the Department of Health Center for Health Development for Central Luzon.
In its continuous quest for improvement in all areas of its operation and to total customer satisfaction, MFC had adopted and was granted ISO 22000 certification Food System Management System in September 2006. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (December 1, 2006 issue)
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