ibn sultan
Srinagar, Oct 4 : The Jammu and Kashmir administration has imposed a complete ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation, and sale of frozen and chilled meat products that fail to meet prescribed food safety standards.
According to an order accessed by KNS, the decision follows extensive inspections conducted by the Food Safety Wing of the Drug and Food Control Organization. Officials reportedly discovered large quantities of rotten, decomposed, and unlabelled meat at multiple locations across the Union Territory. The seized stock was declared unsafe and subsequently destroyed.
The order states that the seized products violated several key provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Many samples lacked mandatory labelling information, including batch numbers, expiry dates, manufacturer details, FSSAI license numbers, and proper storage instructions.
The Food Safety Commissioner outlined the following mandatory standards for meat products:
Frozen meat must be stored and transported at -18°C or below.
Chilled meat must be maintained at 0–4°C.
Frozen products must clearly display the “date of freezing” and cannot be sold beyond 12 months from that date.
E-commerce deliveries must have at least 30% of the total shelf life or 45 days before expiry remaining.
Storage and transport units must be equipped with calibrated temperature monitoring systems and maintain proper records.
Labels must clearly specify the animal species, such as goat, buffalo, or chicken.
The Food Safety Commissioner said that the move was essential to protect public health and to curb unsafe and unhygienic practices in the meat industry.
The prohibitory order will remain in force until further notice or until authorities ascertain that no health risk exists.(KNS)
