Shillong, Jul 1: Butchers in Meghalaya will now have to use different coloured chopping boards and different knives for different types of meat, the Commissionerate of Food Safety has decided.
Commissioner of Food Safety Dr Joram Beda said that this is needed in the interest of consumer safety. He said that warmer temperatures brought on by climate change increases the risk that microorganisms and other pathogens will thrive and replicate more rapidly, which raises the chances of faster meat spoilage and transmission of zoonotic diseases.
Using just one chopping board and/or knife for butchering different types of animals could facilitate the spread of such diseases.
The failure to segregate tools is also a violation of consumer sentiment and “constitutes a deceptive practice that infringes upon a consumer’s right to choose food according to their personal and cultural values”.
All meat and fish sellers will now have to follow a mandatory colour-coding schedule.
Red chopping boards are to be used exclusively for meat, with corresponding knives to have red stickers attached. The other colours and their associated meats are yellow for mutton, light blue for chicken and white for pork. Fish should be cut on natural wood chopping boards and their knives should have violet stickers.
The chopping boards must be food-grade, non-porous and free from cracks or deep grooves that could harbour bacteria. Overnight salt treatment has also been recommended to inhibit microbial growth. Aluminium knives have been banned, with butchers told to use only stainless steel knives. These should also be washed thoroughly with soap and/or water (82 degrees Celsius).
There was no statement as to when this directive will come into force. Failure to adhere, however, will attract punishment under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Dr Beda said.
