Mandaue heightens sanitary processing of meat products

CEBU, Philippines - Consumers can and should expect more sanitary meat goods from food stalls in Mandaue City, particularly at the city market, as the city government enforces stricter rules on food handling.

Before 2012 ended last week, more than 100 meat vendors and sausage makers were made to undergo a seminar on proper hygiene conducted by the National Meat Inspection Team. Participation in the seminar has now become of the requirements in securing a health certificate to renew business permits among meat vendors and sausage makers in the city.

The seminar also served as an orientation on the stringent measures the city intends to implement among meat vendors and sausage (chorizo) makers beginning this month. Workers will be required to wear hairnets and will no longer be allowed to wear jewelry while processing meat goods to avoid possible contamination in the event a piece of jewelry falls on the product being manufactured.

Vendors are also encouraged to maintain proper hygiene by taking a bath daily and to come up with uniform that they can use while selling their goods.

Also this month, the city government will identify and designate a specific area at the city public market where sausage manufacturers can manufacturer their goods.

A team from the NMIS will inspect the market randomly starting this month to check and ensure that the new regulations are being followed. Vendors who fail to heed the rules may have their business permit cancelled. – /JMO