Food Marketing & Technology - India May 2019 | Page 37

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meat can go rancid if it is not stored,
transported and handled hygienically
with strict measures of temperature
control. There is also a greater risk of
contamination of the meat. The wet
markets often suffer from serious
sanitary issues. It has been observed
that the slaughtering, storage and
garbage disposal does not comply with
the strict and compulsory standards of
hygiene. As a result of poor hygienic
conditions, the consumers suffer
severely. Meat is a perishable
commodity. Therefore, it
is extremely important
to maintain freshness
in order to ensure the
quality of the meat. One
of the biggest concerns
in handling meat is
temperature control
Faulty Storage, Temperature,
Packing and Transport heavily on chicken as the primary
meat. International markets offer a
completely different picture as red
meat is preferred over poultry. While
there is a demand, the market for
red meats like pork is growing at a
slow pace unfortunately due to the
questionable quality and hygiene
with very few manufacturers and
brands offering quality breed pork
backed with hygiene and packaging
innovations.
Crucial factors to maintain
the quality of meat
Meat is a perishable commodity.
Therefore, it is extremely important to
maintain freshness in order to ensure
the quality of the meat. One of the
biggest concerns in handling meat is
temperature control. At each stage of
meat processing, the right temperature
needs to be maintained at all times.
The temperatures above 4°C aid the
growth of harmful bacteria and are
considered to be a “danger zone” by
the experts. Any meat must not be
allowed to be in the danger zone for
too long. The traditional domestic
markets are not careful about the
importance of temperature in handling
meat. Storage of the meat is another
big problem as many times, raw meat
is stored alongside cooked meat. This
can lead to serious health problems.
The packing of raw or cooked meat
and transport remains unattended
and highly risky. Lack of cold chain
processes is also an issue that needs to
be addressed at the earliest.
Chilled Food Processing
and Distribution
Bottlenecks galore
Food processing accounts for about
32 percent of the total food market in
India. As per the survey, India’s food
processing industry was estimated
to be worth $250 billion as of 2015
and is predicted to reach $482 billion
by 2020. Yet there seems to be quite a
few challenges with respect to product
conformity,
logistics,
packaging
and delivery. Lack of cold storage
infrastructure is arguably the biggest
bottleneck. There are no government
certified labs to standardise the quality
of meat. Also when it comes to exports,
there is a limited understanding of
international laws.
Use of Harmful Substances
Antibiotics, hormones and fillers
In the unchecked and unorganised
market, the animals are treated with
antibiotics beyond the permissible
limits e.g. chickens raised in India
for food have been dosed with some
of the strongest antibiotics known to
medicine, in practices that could have
repercussions throughout the world.
These antibiotics leave a high level of
residue of antibiotics in the meat. It is
a tricky call as complete elimination of
antibiotic usage has a negative effect
on the health of animals. Therefore,
there needs to be a fine balance of
human health, consumer demands and
the health of animals.
Variety of Meat
Availability of meats beyond chicken
The Indian meat market is still largely
lopsided in as much as it depends
Food Marketing & Technology
37
May 2019
In Conclusion
The safest meat is the one that is free
from antibiotics and hormones. The
preserved and cured meat must be
free from any filler, artificial flavours
and colours. The spices used for
flavouring the meat must be of good
quality. Make sure you check the
origin of your meat and also check
the entire processing chain and see
if adequate infrastructures of chillers
are in place. Meat that comes from
farm-raised animals is not only good
for your health but also ensures great
taste. Choose your meat provider
carefully and avoid all the risks that
are replete in the unorganised market.
The challenges in buying meat can
be reduced by 100 percent if you rely
on a certified and reputed meat
provider. Reputed meat provided with
all the credentials and certifications
will bring excellent quality meat to
your table.
* Founder, Meatigo.com