Seized J&K meat under microscope

Srinagar, Aug 19: During the ongoing crackdown on substandard meat in Jammu and Kashmir, the Food Safety authorities have confiscated over 11,000 kg of meat across the districts.

A rigorous investigation into its quality, safety, and compliance with Food Safety and Standards Association of India (FSSAI) standards is underway, the department said.

In this direction, 30 samples of meat have been sent for testing, not just to check for microbial and chemical contamination, but also to determine which animals the meat is from and whether the meat adheres to Halal requirements.

A J&K government official, wishing not to be named, said some samples are under analysis at the Meat Species Identification Laboratory (MSIL) at the National Research Centre on Meat (NRCM) in Hyderabad.

He said that this lab would ascertain which animal the meat was from and whether the meat was machine-cut or hand-cut, a key factor in verifying Halal compliance.

He said that the samples had also been sent to the National Food Laboratory (NFL) Ghaziabad to verify and report whether it conforms to quality and safety parameters, “which, as is obvious from its condition, it does not”.

Commissioner, Food Wing of J&K Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO), Smita Sethi told Greater Kashmir that she would not comment on the battery of tests that the meat confiscated from J&K would undergo.

“It is a technical matter,” she said.

The commissioner said the lab reports were expected within two weeks from the date of sample collection.

“The reports will clarify compliance with standards. And further action will be based on these findings,” she said.

On whether any FIRs had been filed on the violations and endangering of public health, Sethi said, once the reports are ready, the challans will be submitted and legal action taken.

“We do not file FIRs like that. The procedure is laid down by FSSAI, and is a very vigorous one,” she said.  “The investigation hinges on technical analysis, but we are also looking into other violations that do not need a lab test,” she said.

The commissioner said till date, over 11000 kg of meat had been seized from various districts of J&K.

“It includes large consignments as well as smaller quantities seized from vendors and Food Business Operators. The seizures revealed meat stored and prepared under unhygienic conditions, alongside issues of misbranding and mislabeling,” Sethi said. “Consumers deserve transparency about the source, ingredients, and manufacturing details of the meat or any other food category they buy, but this information is missing in many foods, and that is a punitive violation.”

Although Food Safety officials are now authorised to inspect vehicles carrying edibles, logistical challenges make the task difficult.

To address the issue, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently ordered the constitution of a task force and checking squads to ensure safe foods and carry out checking at nakas and entry points into J&K.