BAI warns vs. using only ice to chill meats

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) on Monday cautioned against using only ice to store meat and poultry products, adding that the products could be at risk for bacteria.

On Bernadette Reyes' 24 Oras, BAI Director Reildrin Morales said meats will be exposed to bacteria if not stored properly inside chillers.

"'Yung thawed yung karne, nakatiwangwang. Yun po yung hindi natin gusto na mangyari. Kapag nag-thaw 'yan prone po yan sa bacteria, possible bacterial or introduction of pathogens," he said.

(Meats are thawed, exposed. We don't want that to happen. If it gets thawed, it is prone to bacteria or possible bacterial or introduction of pathogens.)

Currently, vendors in the market have limited cold storage facilities to preserve their meats.

In Commonwealth Market in Quezon City, retailers spend P200 to P300 a day to buy ice to preserve their frozen meats.

One of the market vendors said he only used styrofoam boxes with ice to store their pork products.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) used P45 million funds to purchase 2,500 chillers that will be given to meat vendors in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Morales said they are coordinating with Metro Manila local governments as well as nearby provinces to distribute the chillers.—Consuelo Marquez/LDF, GMA News