Double-dead meat seized in QC

Two and a half tons of “double-dead” meat products were confiscated during an early morning inspection by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and local authorities yesterday at EDSA-Balintawak in Quezon city.

NMIS accreditation, registration and enforcement division chief Dr. Fernando Lontoc said the pork products were confiscated from eight sidewalk stalls whose owners fled when the inspection team arrived at past 1 a.m.

He said since the pork products were improperly handled and contaminated, consumers could suffer from diarrhea and food poisoning.

Lontoc said the seized products did not have inspection certificates and were from unaccredited slaughterhouses. The seized products were sent to a rendering plant in Malabon for disposal.

He advised consumers to be aware of the “hot meat” products usually sold at night in markets for only P100 per kilo, much lower than the prevailing price of P180.

Lontoc said double-dead meat – which came from animals that died of disease – is usually pale in color, foul-smelling and cold, since it had been stored in freezers.   – Reinir Padua