Beloved Filipino sauces are making a strong comeback in the United States after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Nutriasia’s petition to remove its products from Import Alert 99-45, ending months of disrupted supply.
Effective immediately, Mang Tomas All-Purpose Sauce, Jufran Banana Sauce, and UFC Banana Sauce (both Regular and Hot) are no longer subject to detention without physical examination (DWPE), a major move that ensures smoother availability of these pantry staples across the US.
Nutriasia President and COO Angie Flaminiano welcomed the decision with enthusiasm, saying, “We are very happy with the approval of our petition. 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 products were originally included in the import alert due to the use of potassium iodate, a salt iodizing agent preferred under Philippine law but not recognized for the same use in the US. The alert, issued in July 2024, sparked supply shortages and price hikes, particularly during the holidays.
“The social media reaction, the increased prices and the speed by which supplies were depleted showed how much our consumers love our brands,” said Richard Rebollido, Nutriasia’s Senior International Business Manager. “This moved us to work even harder to get our products off the red list.”
In response, Nutriasia swiftly reformulated the affected products for the US market and resumed limited shipments by August. However, some items remained detained under the alert until the formal petition for removal was filed early this year.
“As a responsible company that adheres to the laws and regulations of every market where our products are sold and distributed, we respect the position and the processes of regulatory agencies like the US FDA,” said Mario Mendoza, Head of New Business Development and International Business for Nutriasia.
He also extended gratitude to both Philippine and US government agencies for their support, including the Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine FDA, US Department of Commerce, and Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez.
Now officially delisted, Nutriasia is looking forward to restoring consistent supplies of its sauces, promising that Filipino and American fans alike can once again enjoy the familiar taste and quality they’ve come to love.
