The Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have warned about drinking unregistered lambanog (coconut wine) this Christmas, which could cause methanol poisoning
In a report by Sandra Aguinaldo on GMA News “24 Oras” on Wednesday, some drums containing lambanog displayed in a store can be seen in Liliw, Laguna.
It offers free taste so that the consumer can decide if they will buy the coconut wine product.
The lambanog seller, on the other hand, is confident that they make their coconut wine well and clean.
“Huwag bibili ang ating mga kababayan ng mga hindi rehistradong mga produkto ng lambanog. But the more important thing is, ang alcohol dapat iwasan na rin natin dahil wala namang naidudulot po ito na kabutihan,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Meanwhile, the list of lambanog brands registered could be found on the FDA’s website.
“Makikita niyo po sa website. Ibig sabihin nito, na-check natin ‘yung process nila na talagang ang napo-produce niya ay walang lason. Ang ingredients na ginagamit po nila ay talagang hindi magpo-produce ng methanol na nakakalason at nakakamatay. At hindi naman po mahal din itong mga lambanog na registered sa FDA,” said Dr. Eric Domingo, Director General of FDA.
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DOH, FDA warn against drinking unregistered lambanog this Christmas
Nine people were killed in November 2018 in Calamba and Santa Rosa, Laguna after being allegedly poisoned by lambanog, which was later found to have high methanol content.
A few days later, four people were killed and 14 others were hospitalized in Quezon City due to the coconut wine.
More than 20 were also poisoned in Laguna and Quezon in December 2019, possibly due to methanol poisoning.
“Ang methanol po kasi ay talagang lubhang nakalalason po ‘yan sa tao, even in very small amounts. Maliit na maliit lamang na amount ang acceptable. Kasi ang atay hindi natin name-metabolize o hindi natin natutunaw ang methanol. Kapag siya ay minetabolize ng katawan natin, nagpo-produce siya ng Formaldehyde, ‘yung ginagamit pang-embalsamo,” said Domingo.
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