By Ven Arigo
Commercial lab-as nga meke (fresh noodles) made in Alburquerque and supplied to Tagbilaran City and neighboring town markets have been found out processed without strict sanitation and thus pose hazard to human health.
Alarmed, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Provincial Officer Marcial Tanggaan rushed to a house being utilized as a meke mini-factory at barangay Ipo and confirmed the unsafe food processing means and condition.
The same unclean fresh noodles from Alburquerque have reportedly been retailed near the Agora here.
Mayor Jose Ugdoracion, Jr. said no permit has been issued for the meke business of a certain Zalde Quilaton since its operation sometime in December last year.
Ugdoracion, who assumed as mayor last June 30, checked and found out that Quilaton’s business permit application is yet pending.
Tanggaan said the surprise inspection was not intended to totally stop the family enterprise and deprive the Quilatons and their workers of their livelihood.
He explained that the government cannot just risk the health of the consuming public.
The DOST is willing to assist such business on what safe technology to use so that the fresh noodles are processed according to standard hygiene.
The mini-factory reportedly produces a daily average of a hundred kilos of fresh noodles supplied to retailers in Tagbilaran City, Baclayon, Alburquerque itself, Loay, Loboc and Lila.
The DOST-Bohol chief said that with the help of his agency, the meke manufacturer can make quality product, or even improve its quality and nutritional value.
Fr. Val Pinlac and a senior development officer of the Ayala Foundation, which can also assist small-scale livelihood ventures, went with Tanggaan to the noodles processing site and afterward discussed with the mayor their findings.
The priest, an Alburanon presently assigned as parish priest of the Songculan Parish in Dauis, earlier discovered, by sheer curiosity, the dirty condition of the meke source when he passed by the food processing site.
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