With the peril posed by “hazardous” frozen meat to the health of the public, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has advised shoppers to look for the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) seal to ensure that the meat they are purchasing is safe.

Frozen meat in markets can be hazardous to human health sans the presence of refrigeration facilities and a lack of know-how of vendors on handling frozen meat, the agriculture department said.

In a statement, Agriculture Undersecretary Deogracias Victor B. Savellano said they are partnering with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to purge public wet markets of health-hazardous frozen products.

“This is dangerous to human health. Shoppers should look for the NMIS food safety seal and of local government unit’s slaughterhouse documents.  Imported frozen meat is not the problem, but their handling as fresh food in wet markets,” he said in Filipino.

Under DA Administrative Order 6-2012, frozen meats are prohibited to be sold in wet markets.

“Frozen meat should only be confined to hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets which have the refrigeration facilities and handling expertise,” the agency noted.

Meanwhile, the DA said they are also examining the price difference of poultry being sold in the market compared to farmgate prices.  

“While poultry’s price sold in the wet market has been increasing, farmgate price has actually been decreasing.”

Savellano stated that poultry farmers have been complaining about the low price at which traders buy their produce.

The excessive dumping of frozen meat in the wet market may be the cause of why the farmgate price of poultry has been decreasing to the detriment of farmers, the agriculture department said.