Group bucks gov't order on tight check of imported meat

Meat importers are asking the government to suspend an administrative order — which would subject imported frozen meats to rigorous sanitary inspection — until a more comprehensive order would be drafted. “[The proposed] order should not discriminate against frozen meat but all meat. Local and imported or fresh and frozen [meat] should be subjected to proper handling and storage procedures," according to the Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA). The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), an attached agency of the Agriculture Department (DA), had drafted the administrative order. In a position paper submitted to DA last Wednesday, MITA said that local meat sold in wet markets are most vulnerable to microbiological contamination. The NMIS should test the fresh meat in wet markets, supermarkets, and other selling stations to see if their commodities follow the guidelines of the international food standard organization, MITA noted. MITA pointed out that NMIS officials should be on hand in every wet market and supermarket to see if: — The transport of all meat from slaughterhouses to dressing plants and to cold stores is via refrigerated vehicles. — All meat are wrapped or covered. No meat shall be displaced in the open, which is the current practice in wet markets and supermarkets. — The meat is maintained at a temperature not exceeding 10 degrees Celsius. — The meat does not come into contact with bare hands. — Unsold or leftover meat is tested for wholesomeness before being further processed into longganisa or tocino. — Selling areas, counters, and stalls as well as hooks and knives are washed and sanitized on a regular basis. Meat importers contradicted claims that imported, frozen meat are “unsafe." “In fact, frozen meats are more sanitized than local meat. These are minimally handled and sanitized prior to blast freezing. It arrives in the country at low bacteria count while local meat is handled with bare hands and placed in unsanitized containers yielding more bacteria count," said MITA president Jesus Cham. NMIS director Jane Bacayo said a more comprehensive order will be issued next year that would cover the treatment and handling of local fresh meat. -- JE/OMG, GMANews.TV