DA urged to adopt 1 meat standard

MANILA, Philippines - The Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA) is urging Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala to adopt only one standard for meat that will be accepted and recognized globally.

MITA recently expressed its concern to Alcala following their review of a draft Administrative Order being prepared by the Department of Agriculture on the rules and regulations on hygienic handling of freshly slaughtered, chilled, frozen and thawed meat in meat markets.

In a July 1 letter to Secretary Alcala, MITA urged the DA not to “establish one standard for local meat and another for imported meat. There should only be one standard that will be accepted and recognized globally.”

MITA argued that “the introduction of new definitions for ‘freshly slaughtered’, ‘warm’, ‘chilled’ and ‘thawed’ meat, only complicates matters and raises new questions such as: What should be the allowable holding time at ambient condition for meat that is not refrigerated? Should fresh frozen meat that has thawed to ambient temperature be considered as equivalent to freshly slaughtered? Should it be treated as chilled when thawed up to 5oC or 10oC? We submit it will be wise to stay within international standards and practices.”

The draft AO, MITA further argued, “would ignore the fact that the previous administrations have been remiss in building the proper slaughterhouses and fabrication plants that conform to OIE and Codex standards and recommendations. (There is only one NMIS accredited slaughterhouse for the entire Eastern Visayas!) Now they would prevent the consuming public from buying wholesome imported meat and force them to buy local ‘freshly slaughtered’ meat even though such meat does not meet Codex standards which DA/NMIS (National Meat Inspection Service) profess adherence to.”