US FDA clears Mang Tomas, Jufran, UFC sauces for sale

Filipino households in the US can breathe a sigh of relief: beloved condiments Mang Tomas All Purpose Sauce, Jufran Banana Sauce, and UFC Banana Sauce are officially back in stable supply after clearing a key regulatory hurdle.

The US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has approved Nutriasia’s petition to remove these products from Import Alert 99-45, which had led to months of shortages and price hikes across the US. As of 16 May, the sauces are no longer subject to detention without physical examination, allowing for smoother distribution and availability.

“We are very happy with the approval of our petition,” said Nutriasia President and COO Angie Flaminiano. “I am sure that our kababayans and the American consumers who have felt the absence of their beloved Nutriasia products are very happy as well.”

The alert was initially triggered by the use of Potassium Iodate in the products — an ingredient required by Philippine law for salt iodization but not permitted in the US for this purpose. In response, Nutriasia reformulated its US-bound products last year to comply with American standards.

Since the alert, US-based Filipino communities had reported empty store shelves and soaring prices, especially during the holidays when demand peaks.

“The social media reaction, the increased prices and the speed by which supplies were depleted showed how much our consumers love our brands, and this moved us to work even harder to get our products off the red list," said Richard Rebollido, Nutriasia’s Senior International Business Manager.

Nutriasia credited close collaboration with both Philippine and US government agencies for the positive outcome.

“With the removal of our products from the red list, consumers who have missed our products in the past months can now look forward to uninterrupted supplies moving forward,” said Mario Mendoza, Nutriasia’s Head of New Business Development and International Business.

For Filipino families abroad, it’s a welcome return for the iconic flavors that bring a taste of home to every table.