KARACHI, Jan 31: People fulfilling the religious obligation of sacrificing animals have been cautioned by microbiologists and food scientists about preservation and consumption of meat.

They spoke of the presence of a wide range of bacteria in the atmosphere, adding that the situation gets grimmer during the three days of Eidul Azha due to unhygienic practices.

According to them, this makes it necessary that the meat of animals slaughtered at roads and thoroughfares are adequately preserved. "Mushrooming of fungi is already reported from the food waste dumped out of fast food outlets across the city," Dr Mobina Agboatwala said, adding that salmonella and clostridium species were some of the major sources of infections among Karachiites.

Attributing the grim situation to questionable measures adopted in the city, she recommended that besides taking due care of hygiene within the four walls of their residences, and also in their localities, the people should exercise some restraint in consuming edibles made out of meat.

Dr S.M. Afaq said excessive intake of fat and meat, particularly red meat, not only fuelled a wide range of ailments but also diminished one's ability to undertake physical activity, which aggravated the problem.

Chairman of Karachi University's Food Science and Technology Department, Dr Abid Hasnain, strongly advised people not to preserve meat for more than 15 to 20 days mainly because of frequent disruptions and fluctuations in power supply. He also suggested that only pieces weighing up to three kilograms be frozen as the freezing capacity of the freezers locally available was generally limited.

Dr Hasnain also said that the meat pieces must not be washed as this contributed to the growth of microbes. A single serving of frozen food must not be heated and consumed more than twice otherwise its quality gets compromised. Defrosted meat must not be frozen again.

As a surge in many heat-resistant bacteria is registered, it was necessary that people consumed meat in moderate quantities, he said. Traditional modes of preservation such as application of citric acid and salt could help ensure the maintenance of the necessary PH levels, he said, stressing that meat or food prepared out of it, if frozen, might be heated at high temperatures and immediately consumed.

Physicians talking to APP referred to the WHO recommendations, according to which adults must not take more than the moderate quantities of meat up to twice a week. Cow and buffalo meat should not to be consumed by diabetic patients or those suffering from kidney ailments and hypertension as these contain high levels of cholesterol and uric acid.

They also cautioned people against barbecuing meat as, according to them, food prepared in this manner was generally found to be half cooked, mainly owing to urgency on the part of the people cooking. Since half cooked food could not be digested easily serious repercussions might result.

Pseudomonas were also stated to be found in the foodstuff made up of meat as they were not properly frozen generally due to disrupted power supply. Consequently gastro-enteritis, besides bouts of diarrhoea and severe abdominal pain, were commonly noticed in the days following Eidul Azha. - APP