The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has assured consumers on Tuesday that there is no “rotten” meat from Brazil being sold in the local market.
“Yes, we are aware of the [rotten meat] issue [from] Brazil, and we are now closely monitoring the [matter], and conducting strict surveillance in all of their products. But, as of now, we haven’t received any complaints of tainted meat from Brazil,” BAI Assistant Director Dr. Simeon S. Amurao Jr. told the BusinessMirror.
The BAI, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), regulates the entry of meat imports in the country, specifically to prevent the intrusion of animal-related diseases, such as avian influenza.
Amurao said they would immediately impose a total ban of meat importation from Brazil should they discover even at least a container of rotten beef coming from Brazil entered the Philippines.
“That would be a flaw in their system, that would mean there’s something wrong with their health certification,” Amurao said.
“If they would issue a health or export permit for a rotten meat, then they would totally lose our trust. We cannot trust anymore their certification system, so we can stop all the importation of meat from Brazil because of that,” Amurao added.
In an Associated Press (AP) report, two big Brazilian meat packers were found to be bribing Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry inspectors to keep rotten meat in the local market and be allowed for exportation.
The police said after a two-year investigation that part of the money allegedly paid by meat packers JBS and BRF was channeled to two major political parties, including the one of President Michel Temer, according to the AP report.
President Michel Temer and his agriculture minister met with top diplomats of the European Union (EU), Sweden, Canada and other countries to say slaughterhouses were being properly audited and that Brazilian meat is safe to eat, according to a Bloomberg report.
Brazil’s rotten-meat scandal has prompted countries, including China, the EUand South Korea, to suspend meat importation from the South American country.