Which easily gets spoiled, contaminated meat importers, traders accept wager challenge

CEBU, Philippines -    Meat Importers and Traders Association has accepted the bet challenge of the Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative to determine through laboratory analysis which of the local meat and the imported frozen meat easily gets spoiled and contaminated.

MITA spokesperson Jimmy Escaño accepts the challenge from CVPPC president Roland Tambago.

Escaño said in a press conference yesterday that the cooperative should get a sample of meat slaughtered at the Cebu City Abattoir and compare it with the frozen imported meat by displaying both in open at any wet market and conduct bacterial analysis.

"Lets say, both meat be tested at 6:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon for bacterial contamination. He is challenging us and we accept his challenge," Escaño said.

Escaño and Jude del Rio, general manager of Judphilan, a meat importer, also hit Cebu City veterinarian Alice Utlang for her alleged biases against frozen meat.

"Makita na nimo sa facebook anang Alice Utlang. She is supposed to be neutral in implementing the law. Pero klaro kaayo nga laban gyud siya sa mga local pork producers," del Rio said.

"As the city veterinarian, she is supposed to be neutral. If she want to confiscate the meat because it is contaminated with bacteria, nganong frozen meat ra man?," del Rio added.

Escaño said Utlang contradicts Mayor Michael Rama’s stand on the issue. Rama said he will request for a random sampling of meat sold in the city's wet public market following a laboratory finding that these are contaminated with bacteria.

"The mayor is open to the idea of conducting more tests. But Utlang is attacking the meat dealer instead," Escaño said.

He said that whether or not the meat dealer was fictitious it does not matter because the result remains that local meats are more susceptible to bacterial contamination compared to the frozen meats.

Escaño suggested that the National Meat Inspection Service should conduct a laboratory test in the presence of representatives from the various sectors including the media for transparency and that the testing should be made at the local laboratory. – (FREEMAN)