THE City Government of Mati confiscated on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, nearly 300 kilograms (kg) of meat and carcasses, with some already in the early stages of deterioration.
In a press release from the Mati City Information Office, Task Force Bantay Karne has confiscated 292.2 kilos of meat/carcasses during their routine inspection in several stores, malls and meat shops in the city.
The inspection was participated by the City Veterinary Services Office, along with the National Meat Inspection Services-Davao enforcement team.
The team confiscated 194kg of spoiled pork meat amounting to P68,870; 30.1kg of chicken meat worth P5,538.04; and 68.1kg of “hotdog processed meat” amounting to P8,172. The amount of confiscated meat totals to P82,580.40.
The city reported that one particular meat shop was caught selling meat that is already in the early stage of deterioration, which violated City Ordinance No. 71 series of 2011 and Republic Act 10536 or the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines.
One meat shop was selling without a meat inspection certificate, while others were given reminders on meat safety.
A scalding drum was also confiscated at the old slaughterhouse along Liberty, Barangay Central.
The confiscated meat/carcasses were immediately condemned and buried at the City Slaughterhouse Condemnation Facility in Sitio Sudlon, Barangay Central.
The Department of Agriculture has been warning meat buyers and consumers against sellers whose products had no adequate permit as these could be potential products contaminated with the deadly hog virus that causes the African Swine Fever, which had already infected and killed a large number of hogs in the region.