January 17, 2022. Are frozen meats sold in the supermarkets and wet markets safe? How safe is the meat we store in our refrigerator’s freezer?
During this pandemic, most people are scared of going out. Where do they get their food items? They either order food online or shop for a larger amount of food. And a possible scenario is that home refrigerators will be stocked with chilled and frozen meats and other food items.
Hence, the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) issued a Technical Bulletin (TB) and posters to tackle concerns on the quality and safety of frozen meat.
This aims to assist producers, retailers, and consumers in the proper handling of frozen meat and in making informed decisions to ensure meats will remain safe and of good quality.
Since meat stored at frozen temperature is safe almost indefinitely, mishandling during storage and thawing may still cause adverse health effects in humans. To maintain the safety and quality of frozen meats, the BAFS Technical Bulletin on Frozen Meat Safety and Quality recommends practices for cold storage facilities, retail outlets, and at home.