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In light of the developments on the investigation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with regards to the incident involving two (2) women who allegedly consumed ‘Cosmic Carabao Gin’, this Office shall order the seizure and/or confiscation of the product as the samples collected and subjected to FDA analysis were found positive for methanol.

Methanol is a widely available chemical that has many industrial applications and is also found in household products and fuel for aircraft. However, non-toxic trace amounts of methanol can also be naturally present in fruit juices. This is also a product of natural fermentation and is found in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented beverages. Higher concentrations of methanol in alcoholic drinks can happen when methanol is deliberately added to alcoholic drinks. Signs and symptoms of methanol poisoning include headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, hyperventilation, and feeling of breathlessness. Blindness can also happen in severe cases.

The FDA hereby warns the public on the consumption of the implicated product as this is currently unregistered and has been confirmed to contain a high level of methanol. The FDA hereby reiterates its previous Advisories following the casualties due to the consumption of unregistered food products including alcoholic beverages that have not gone through this agency’s registration and testing. Consumers must also exercise extreme caution in buying alcoholic drinks, especially those that do not have labels, poorly printed labels or with broken seals.

In the interest of public protection, the Field Regulatory Operations Office inspectors and Regulatory Enforcement Unit officers of FDA shall seize and/or confiscate all Cosmic Carabao Gin products available in the market. All Local Government Units and Law Enforcement Agencies are requested to ensure that this product is not sold or made available in their localities or areas of jurisdiction.

For more information and inquiries, please e-mail us at [email protected]. To report continuous sale or distribution of the above unregistered food product, e-mail us via [email protected], or call us at the Center for Food Regulation and Research (CFRR) hotline (02) 857-1900 locals 8112 or 8105.

Attachment-> : FDA Advisory No. 2019-188