A radiation facility in Tanay, Rizal that uses electron beam technology to sterilize imported frozen goods and non-food items like medical devices stressed the importance of this process to ensure that products entering the country are sanitized and safe for human use and consumption.
Francis Valdez, an electronics engineer formerly with the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and now head of operations at the private e-beam facility, said the Philippines is falling behind its neighbors in adopting this technology.
“Vietnam already has 16 facilities like this. China has around 300. We are clearly lagging behind,” Valdez said in an interview during a media tour of the ISI sterilization facility in Tanay on Friday.
Customers, he said, can bring their products directly to the site.
“Our process is fast. They can wait while we validate the results, and if everything checks out, we immediately release the products. It’s a big help because FDA regulations require that certain products be ready for shelf display,” Valdez explained.
He also emphasized the potential of radiation sterilization for boosting the agriculture sector, particularly in export.
“Vietnam’s export industry is booming because their goods go through this process. They’re not worried about rejection since their microbial levels are always within standards,” he said, adding that ISI is the country’s first private e-beam facility helping upskill the local industry.