WITH the high demand for meat this Christmas season, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday warned residents of sellers of contaminated meat products across the city’s markets.
Bautista directed the city veterinary department to strictly monitor public and private markets to ensure that contaminated meat and meat products are kept away from the public.
He issued the order after city hall inspectors on Monday seized around 150 kilos of contaminated meat at the Commonwealth public market.
According to city veterinarian Ana Maria Cabel, at least P20,000 worth of meat products were confiscated from five stalls at Commonwealth.
Also confiscated were some 200 kilos of contaminated meat at the Balintawak and Novaliches markets. All bad meat products were dumped at the Payatas disposal facility, Cabel said.
The consumption of such meat products could lead to food poisoning and gastro-intestinal infections, Cabel said. She advised consumers to buy frozen meat in groceries and meat shops that are equipped with freezers and chillers to maintain the cold chain and keep the meat safe.
The city vet said she has been receiving reports that some contaminated meat products were being sold at a cheaper price, and were being bought by unscrupulous eatery owners.