Theres
more to meet than meets the eye. Your loved ones derive essential protein from
the meat dishes that you serve them so its important to really know the meat you
are buying. Here are things to remember when purchasing meats.
Think
pink: Pink
(not red) is the Internationally accepted color of quality pork. Pork a healthy
pinkish color, an indication of strictly implementing correct harvest age of
animals and of good animal handling prior to and during slaughtering. Meats
should be chilled to lock in freshness.
Well-bred:
Hogs
and cattle that are fed with just about anything come out with meat that are
fatty and tough. To get the best meat, animals should have proper nutrition and
medication, ensuring lean meats that are firm and not soft, they’re fine
grained and not watery with a pinkish, rosy hue.
Not
all meats are created equal: The
more experienced marketers and homemakers know that ordinary meats are not
always fresh and clean. Consumers can be assured of safe and quality meats if
these are produced from the a hog and cattle slaughter plant that has
consistently passed the standards of all government regulating agencies such as
the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Bacteria
alert: Meat
in itself is sterile (zero microorganism). However, major factors such as
people, plant or facility, processes and practices that are involved in the
production of meat may result to contamination that can cause food-borne illness
or FBIs. These FBIs can be prevented by practicing good personal hygiene,
regular cleaning and sanitation of food contact surfaces, hygienic slaughtering
processes and observing correct product handling (i.e. chilled storage transport
conditions).
