The  UK  has received another animal food content scare.  Horse meat has been detected in a huge amount of ready made foods from mince beef products, much like burgers, bolognese, lasagna etc.  As we carry on through the tough economical down slide food companies are searching for cheaper alternatives too bulk up their products. How low will they go ?

The best why to stay healthy on a regular basis is by eating joints of meat rather than processed meats. Steer away from any ready made meals or products such like sausages, kebabs and burgers.

Buy more meat from your local butcher as they can provide more details of the source of the meat.

Protein is an essential nutrient which should be part of our daily diet. In meats, proteins are available in abundance hence it is essential for us to include it in our daily diet but care should be taken because meats can have deadly bacteria which can become a health hazard. In short, no meats are safe but certain precautionary measures can keep the meat in great shape. Let us check how meats can be kept safe.

Meats are really very good for health. The key to make the meats safe for eating is to keep them clean. Before handling a raw meat, you should wash the hands with luke warm water. You should also wash all the kitchen appliances required for cutting and storing the meat. Always use separate board for cutting the meat. It is better to sanitize all the appliances before use. Use kitchen sanitizer for sanitizing purpose.

To stop cross contamination of meat, it is necessary to handle it with care. Raw meat should be kept separately from all the other food items at home. To keep the raw meat fresh, air tight plastic bags should be used for storage. Keeping the raw meat in an air tight plastic bag or container in a refrigerator will prevent dripping of meat juice on other food items.

To keep the meat fresh refrigerate it at 4° C while the freezing temperature should be minus (-) 18° C. Refrigeration temperature should be regularly monitored. At 63° C, cook the veal, steaks, beef and lamb roasts. At 71° C, cook the ground lamb, beef, pork and veal. At 74° C, cook ground poultry.

There is a very strong possibility of bacterial growth due to mixing of stuffing with raw meat juices hence one should avoid buying raw whole meat which is pre-stuffed. It is advisable to use frozen raw whole meat with stuffing because it is safe. In the frozen state itself the raw whole meat should be cooked.

Remember, all kinds of meats are safe to eat, only if they are fresh and kept clean.