Punjab: For meat lovers, ensuring safety is a must before enjoying their favourite dishes. Storing and handling meat properly can prevent the spread of bacteria, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses. These illnesses, caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical contamination, can cause serious health problems. Maintaining meat safety from farm to table is vital to public health and requires a comprehensive approach throughout the meat supply chain. It is important to store raw meat or poultry in a clean, sealed container on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent it from touching or dripping onto other foods. Cooking meat at the high temperatures common in Indian kitchens effectively kills most harmful bacteria, but it is equally important to ensure that meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature and proper food safety guidelines are followed to avoid foodborne illnesses.
Dr JPS Gill, Vice Chancellor, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) stressed, “Safety protocols must be followed at both the producer and consumer levels. Producers need to implement rigorous practices from farm to processing, while consumers must follow safe handling and cooking procedures to prevent foodborne illnesses.” Dr Gill further explained that it is important to ensure the health of animals before slaughter. These animals must be transported hygienically to modern, well-equipped slaughterhouses, where they are thoroughly inspected. Humane slaughter methods are essential to prevent contamination and handlers must follow strict hygiene protocols during the process. Dr Nitin, Associate Professor of Livestock Products Technology, elaborated on the importance of veterinary inspection before slaughter, also known as ante-mortem inspection. This involves examining live animals to ensure they are healthy and fit for slaughter, preventing diseased or unfit animals from entering the food chain. While this is a standard procedure in the organised sector, it is often not followed in the unorganised sector.
“In slaughterhouses, maintaining strict hygiene standards and proper temperature control is crucial in preventing the growth of microorganisms. After processing, the meat must be packaged properly to maintain its freshness and ensure safety. Testing for harmful microbes such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Campylobacter is a must,” said Dr Nithin. While transporting meat from processing facilities to retail stores, strict cold chain management is essential to maintain meat quality. Distribution centres and retail stores must implement rigorous temperature control and hygiene practices. Proper labelling is also important, providing consumers with information on the meat’s origin, production date, expiry date and safe handling instructions. Achieving meat safety from farm to fork requires a holistic approach, focusing on animal health, hygienic processing, temperature control, safe transportation and consumer education. “At GADVASU, we regularly organise workshops to raise awareness about occupational exposure to zoonotic diseases and promote good hygiene and sanitation practices in the workplace,” said Dr Nithin.
