Experts urge safe meat preservation

Health experts have advised citizens to adopt proper meat preservation methods, have the know-how to consume fresh meat to keep their health intact, and avoid risks of saving it from heat and loadshedding.

The ritual of Sunnah Ibrahimi (RA) is performed on Eidul Azha by Muslims as a prerequisite for Hajj each year, which is considered the greatest sacrifice in Islam.

Talking to a private news channel, Associate Professor and Gastroenterologist Dr Abdullah bin Khalid of the Aga Khan University Hospital has recommended that the citizens should consume sacrificial meat in the form of steaming or boiling, not in processed form.

He said that the use of red meat in processed form is not good for humans adding that World Health Organization (WHO) had already declared the consumption of red meat can cause many harmful effects on humans' health and quoted American Heart Disease department estimate that only 350 gram of meat per week can be consumed.

Dr Abdullah recommended different precautionary measures i.e. from cutting of qurbani meat till the process of its cooking such as, 1) the meat should be cleared of all the fats, 2) cook the meat in healthy oils i.e. olive oil that is extra virgin oil, canola oil or sunflower oil etc, 3) red meat should not be cooked on high flame, or till prolonged time as it will decrease its nutritive value adding that he said cooking the meat on high flame may be tasty but would be low in nutrition wise, 4) cook meat on low flame will retain its the nutrition value, 5) use meat with salads and chutnies.

Replying to a question, he said that patients with heart issues, angina, and high cholesterol should use red meat in moderate quantity, adding that we do not advise them not to eat meat anyway.