By CHILA NAMAIKO  –

CHOMA Municipal Council (CMC) health department officers yesterday confiscated more than 190 kilogrammes of condemned beef that was being sold by some traders at Makalazungu Main Market. 

The officers also confiscated more than 150 kilogrammes of uncertified pork from Homestead Butchery located along Choma-Macha Road.

According to the health regulations, condemned meat is certified inconsumable and needed to be disposed of at the abattoirs.

CMC public relations officer Ramona Phiri said in an interview that the officers confiscated the products after receiving numerous complaints from members of the public over the unhealthy meat and pork.

“Our health department officers carry out regular inspections in abattoirs on meat or pork products and the condemned products are certified for disposal right away,” she said.

She said foods certified unhealthy were harmful and that the council would prosecute owners of abattoirs abrogating the health standards.

“We have discovered that condemned products are dubiously being sold by workers to marketeers,” she said.

She said the confiscated meat was found rotten and sold in the open market and wondered how some people could buy such harmful meat.

Ms Phiri said the officers had intensified inspections in the abattoirs in Choma to ensure all meat products were inspected before being sold.

She warned marketeers to desist from conducting illegal businesses such as selling unhealthy food to members of the public.