CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (November 22, 2023, 8:09 pm) – The National Meat Inspection Service Regional Technical Operation Center in Northern Mindanao region (NMIS RTOC-10) has warned the public against buying poultry meat products infected with bumblefoot disease

In a statement on Wednesday, the NMIS RTOC-10 said meat inspectors seized at least 459 kilograms of chicken infected with bumblefoot and were disposed of properly.

NMIS has advised the public not to patronize chicken feet with bumblefoot to avoid any health issues.

Bumblefoot, or ulcerative pododermatitis, is a common bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction that occurs on the feet of chickens and other birds. Rodents and rabbits can also get infected with the illness.

In time with the holiday season, the agency also told the public to always ensure the meat they purchased is safe.

Dr. Neonette Agreda, NMIS RTOC-10n chief, said consumers need to look for meat inspection certificates (MICs) for fresh meat or the certificate of meat inspection (COMI) for imported meat.

“MICs and COMIs are ways to assume that the meat you purchased was well inspected and passed for human consumption,” she said.

Agreda called on the public to be vigilant against food safety handling issues because contamination may occur during transportation, display, storage, and food preparation.

Contamination of meat can also cause foodborne illnesses, such as diarrhea, dehydration, and even death, she added. (Nef Luczon/PNA)