Invima warns of irregularities in two brands of tuna consumed in Colombia

The National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (Invima) issued an alert on a batch of tuna of the brand ‘Rey del Mar’, which would have an illegal labeling. Well, when removing the tinplate coating from them, another German brand appears called ‘Tuna Fillets’.

“It was identified that the product Tuna fillets in oil” Rey del Mar “, with sanitary registration No. RSA-0010992-2020, does not comply with current sanitary regulations regarding labeling (Resolution 5109 of 2005, chapter II, articles 4 and 5), for showing that the tin container is covered with paint that hides the information of another food ”, informed Invima.

In the events, which were discovered thanks to the inspection, surveillance and control actions in ports and border crossings, the entity indicated that Article 3 resolution 2674 of 2013 was breached, not declaring who were the real manufacturers or importers marked on the label, like the remarking of batch information and expiration dates.

Image of the tuna tin container that is covered with paint that hides the information of the other food: the German brand called ‘Thunfisch Fillets’.

Therefore, Invima pointed out that the product, “is considered a fraudulent food and its sale in the country is illegal”.

Faced with the alert, the health authority asked the departmental, district and municipal health secretariats to start the search for all the products of ‘Tuna tenderloins in King of the Sea oil’ and take the pertinent measures in the establishments that can commercialize said product.

The Invima also requested that the entities make the alert known in all the communication channels that they have at their disposal (website, social networks, among others) and, in the case of finding the product, immediately inform said sanitary Authority.

Regarding the general community, Invima also recommended that they take the following measures:

1. Refrain from acquiring the product ‘Tuna tenderloins in Rey del Mar oil’.

2. Consumers who have already bought the ‘King of the Sea Tuna in oil’ are recommended to suspend consumption of the product.

3. Immediately inform Invima or the Territorial Health Entities if they know of places where this product is distributed or marketed.

4. Permanently consult the Invima website: https://www.invima.gov.co, for information related to products that may affect the health of Colombians.

It is important to note that this was not the only alert issued by the entity regarding the illegal labeling of a seafood product. As reported by Invima, after inspection, surveillance and control actions in ports and border crossings, it was discovered that the article ‘Tuna loins in vegetable oil Catalina’ hid information about another product under the paint on its tin container.

Image of the illegal labeling of the tuna brand ‘Catalina’.

By failing to comply with article 3 of resolution 2674 of 2013, this tuna of the brand ‘Catalina’ was also considered by the health entity as a fraudulent food and, therefore, its commercialization in Colombia was classified as illegal.

Invima recommended that Colombians not consume ‘Tino’ products

Through a health alert issued on December 17, Invima also recommended to Colombians refrain from acquiring the brand of drinks of former soccer player Faustino Asprilla, better known as ‘Tino’ Asprilla, ante la “Fraudulent marketing” of this product.

Furthermore, the Invima established that the ex-footballer’s product is not covered under the sexual enhancement health registry, for which he reiterated his call to the general population to refrain from buying said item.