Fried Chicken Safety Scare: Govt Sounds Alarm in Nairobi & Towns
Concern has been expressed by the Directorate of Veterinary Services regarding the consumption of chicken meat in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), estates, and major cities across the nation.
According to a letter dated November 6 from the superintendent of the institution, Obadiah Njagi, health officials did not inspect the majority of the meat sold in restaurants.
As per Njagi’s account, the majority of poultry is slaughtered in private residences, deviating from the legal requirement of slaughterhouses.
Conversely, the transportation of the meat from the homesteads to the slaughterhouses violated all applicable safety regulations.
“This meat is sourced mainly from the broiler chicken farmers, who slaughter the chicken in their backyard and transport the meat to the hotels and other eateries,” read the letter in part addressed to the county directors.
The majority of the targets of the letter were fast-food restaurants located in the nation’s capital and other major metropolitan areas.
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Additionally, several butcheries across the nation were singled out for procuring their poultry directly from farmers.
“This is contrary to Meat Control Act Cap 356 of the laws of Kenya which states that food animals should only be slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses under the supervision of an inspecting officer.”
As a result, the county inspectors were instructed to oversee the situation, as the widespread practice posed a threat to the safety of Kenyan citizens.
The Directorate further cautioned that traders who are discovered to violate the stipulations will face repercussions.
“Such malpractices expose the consumer to unhygienic meat and meat products which act as the source of spread of harmful microorganisms, medicine residues, and other contaminants thereby endangering their health,” read the letter in part.
Conversely, Kenyans were cautioned to exercise prudence when selecting poultry retailers in light of the recent events.
Fried Chicken Safety Scare: Govt Sounds Alarm in Nairobi & Towns