Share sacrifice : Keeping meat in refrigerator harmful

Doctor says practice may cause food poisoning

ISLAMABAD: A word of advice from a physician suggests that instead of stuffing freezers and refrigerators with sacrificial meat, it should be distributed and shared with family, friends, community, the poor and the needy.

“Keeping meat in refrigerator for more than 10 days affects its nutrition value and could be harmful for health,” said Dr Zaeem Ahmed on Monday.



Keeping meat in refrigerator for more than 10 days destroys the proteins and affects its hygiene, which could cause fatal diseases like food-poisoning and gastrointestinal complications, said Dr Ahmed.

"Freezing exterminates the proteins in meat," Dr Ahmed said advising people against the practice. Frozen meat products are properly cleaned and packed for longer shelf-life, whereas, in most of the households, sacrificial meat is not handled with desired care.

He suggested that fresh and healthy meat should always be used to stay away from gastrointestinal diseases because such complications even may lead to malfunctioning of liver, kidneys and brain.



Dr Ahmed said major reasons for GI diseases were consumption of unhealthy meat and improperly cooked food as bacteria flourished rapidly in such a meat. "Liver diseases can cause hepatitis and liver disorder, which are fatal at an advanced stage," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2018.