The Environmental Health Division in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment is advising members of the public to exercise caution during the Christmas festivities when purchasing slaughtered meat, in order to prevent them from consuming unwholesome products.
Mr. Neri James, the Chief Environmental Health Officer who gave the advice, in an interview with WEFM News indicated that during the Christmas festivities some persons do not conform to the health regulation when slaughtering animals and then offer the meat for sale, hence it is important that consumers be very careful when making such purchases.
Mr. James said the Environmental Health Division currently have systems in place to check animals before they are slaughtered as well as after, so as to ensure that the public will have meat that is safe and clean to consume.
The Chief Environmental Health Officer said all persons desirous of slaughtering food animals for sale during the Christmas Season should contact either the District Environmental Health Officer or the Public Health department as soon as possible for information on the requirements for slaughtering.
All information must reach the department on or before Thursday December 21, 2017.
Mr. James explained that it is an offence to offer meat for sale to the public without it being inspected according to the Public Health Act 1977.
He further noted that the practice of dressing animals on the ground and hanging the meat on trees or posts exposed to the elements is not acceptable and will be subjected to condemnation.