MANILA - Manufacturer of Reno do not have authority to release and sell the popular liver spread product to the market, the Food and Drug Administration explained Thursday following the regulatory body's warning against the purchase of the product.

• FDA warns public against purchase of popular liver spread, other unregistered food products

In a press release published on their website Thursday, FDA explained that food processing companies have to secure a License to Operate (LTO) and a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) before their products "can be released in the Philippine market."

RENO Foods Incorporated - the manufacturer of the liver spread - secured an LTO as a "food repacker" in 2017 after an inspection by the regulatory body.

The manufacturer was asked to secure a Certificate of Product Registration for their products, which included RENO liver spread, so they could be given the green light by FDA to release their products into the Philippine market. FDA said the company "failed to secure" it.

"In 2017, the company applied for the variation of their LTO to include their product line as manufacturer of processed meat products. Upon inspection of the FDA, the company was granted approval of the LTO as manufacturer. However, FDA inspectors instructed the company to secure CPRs for their products, including RENO Brand Liver Spread," FDA said in the press release.

"This year, FDA inspectors collected samples of RENO Brand Liver Spread for verification of their CPR. Upon extensive search of FDA databases, the mentioned liver spread failed to secure a CPR. Thus, the FDA has a responsibility to inform the public, through an advisory, that RENO Brand Liver Spread is NOT REGISTERED,” FDA said, adding that the company "must secure the required authorization" from them, it said.

Regulatory laws require processed food operators to secure an LTO first and then a CPR afterwards to check if both the company and their products pass the regulatory body’s standards before they could be released to the public.

In an advisory dated Aug. 26 and released on Wednesday, Sept. 16, FDA announced Reno and four other food and supplement products were not registered with them, warning that manufacturers should not distribute, promote, or sell the said items.