MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City government has amplified its efforts in ensuring that meat products sold in the city’s markets are safe amid an expected demand surge this Christmas season.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has directed the City Veterinary Office to be on the lookout for unsafe meat being sold in markets, supermarkets and groceries and have them confiscated to ensure the health and safety of consumers.
“The City Veterinary Office is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the meats being purchased by local residents are safe and from trusted sources,” Belmonte said in a statement Saturday.
The Quezon City Veterinary Office reportedly “confiscated meat from a particular supermarket which bore signs that it came from unhealthy herd which goes against food safety laws.”
The Department of Agriculture’s National Meat Inspection Service closed the said establishment as a preemptive measure to ensure all meat in the market are sourced from healthy animals, pending further investigations, the QC government said.
In line with this, the Quezon City government also appealed to local residents to be vigilant when buying meat products in wet markets, supermarkets and groceries.
Signs of tainted meat include petechial hemorrhage on the skin and reddish discoloration, among others, according to the City Veterinary’s Office.