Food safety experts point out that the safety of consuming animal products depends on two factors: whether the animal products themselves are problematic, and whether consumers have developed good habits for safe consumption. Experts remind consumers that while law enforcement departments strictly control market access to prevent inferior and diseased animal products from entering the market, consumers should primarily develop safe eating habits in five areas.
First, prioritize consuming fresh meat. Compared to processed meat products like sausages and canned goods, one should eat more fresh meat, with chilled meat being the top choice, followed by fresh meat and frozen meat. Compared to these fresh meats, additives in processed foods such as复合磷酸盐 (compound phosphates), preservatives, colorings, and starches can cause varying degrees of harm to consumer health if they exceed standard limits.
Second, fresh meat should be stored at 4°C and wrapped in plastic wrap. If purchasing a large quantity that needs to be stored for a long time, it is best to freeze it to ensure its hygiene. If meat and meat products are found to be spoiled or have an off odor, they must be discarded immediately to prevent accidental consumption or contamination of other foods.
Third, when cooking, the cutting boards, knives, and other utensils used must be thoroughly cleaned. Additionally, raw and cooked meats must be kept separate to avoid cross-contamination. Organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys are parts of livestock and poultry that are susceptible to disease and must be fully cooked before consumption.
Fourth, do not purchase ready-to-eat meats, hot pot ingredients, or consume meat dishes from stalls or small shops that lack health and quarantine inspection certificates or health certificates for their staff.
Fifth, avoid consuming grilled meat foods outdoors. Grilled foods such as lamb and beef skewers, grilled fish, and grilled chicken wings, when the meat is burned at high temperatures, fat drips onto the charcoal and combines with meat protein to form "benzopyrene," a potent carcinogen that endangers the health of consumers. Furthermore, unhygienic or moldy raw materials for grilled foods can easily transmit various pathogens, causing infectious diseases such as E. coli, dysentery bacillus, and hepatitis viruses.