i Balita
March 16, 2019
(Photo From Web)
Hot meat seized at Iloilo Terminal Market
Around 40 kilograms of hot meat was confiscated by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in its early morning inspection at the Iloilo Terminal Market on Friday, March 15.
Jose Ariel Castañeda, Local Economic Enterprise (LEE) officer of the city government, said the inspection was conducted to ensure that meat being sold at the market are safe for consumption.
“The veterinarian saw that the meat being sold were already spoiled,” thus unsafe for human consumption, Castañeda said in a phone interview.
The vendors also failed to pinpoint the source of the hot meat as the products were from different sources and were mixed while being stored in the freezer.
Vendors whose meat had been confiscated can still continue their business but Castañeda said they can be fined if they will be caught committing the same violation anew.
The confiscated meat, on the other hand, will be brought to the slaughterhouse and will be buried.
Furthermore, vendors that were found violating sanitary standards were also apprehended.
“The violations range from the use of dirty display area, improper cover where the meat were laid, improper lighting, improper hook used to display the meat,” he said.
He said vendors must use light that does not emit other color aside from white “because the buyer might be confused with the actual appearance of the meat”.
He told vendors that violations are “unhealthy” to their business and they must comply with the basic guidelines and meat safety standards.
Consumers are likewise reminded to ask for a meat inspection certificate from vendors to ensure that what they purchase is safe for consumption. This will also encourage meat vendors to comply with standards.
