National food safety agency warns about quality of products before winter holidays in Moldova

Chisinau, 18 December /MOLDPRES/ – Prior to winter holidays, where the festive tables are endless, the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) offers shoppers several useful tips to avoid unpleasant situations.

First of all, ANSA recommends that food products should be purchased only from specially arranged and authorised places – shops, wholesale warehouses, food markets, which provide specific hygiene and sanitary conditions and where there is certainty that these products have been subjected to veterinary control.

According to specialists of ANSA, fresh meat should only be purchased in authorised places: slaughterhouses, grocery stores, places specially arranged in markets. The quality product must be elastic, from a colour from pale pink to dark red, after the finger press it returns to its original shape and does not present the sticky, odorous surface. "Pay attention to the presence of the sanitary – veterinary control stamp," indicates ANSA.

Also, when purchasing fresh fish, it is necessary to verify that its surface is clean, with a uniform layer of scales, colour according to the species, the red bronchi, with a characteristic hue of the species, without breaks.

Another important product that needs to be controlled well before buying is eggs. When purchasing them, their external appearance must be checked. The shell of the fresh eggs must be clean, strong, whole and without stains, individual marking on the egg must be present. The date indicated on the egg is the date of the egg, the deadline for consumption may not exceed 28 days.

"When purchasing all food products, read the info carefully on product label, date of manufacture, shelf period, check the ingredients used, storage conditions", warns the experts of ANSA.

At their turn, doctors warn that “in order to eliminate the risks of food poisoning, food should not be purchased after the consumption deadline or expiry date, and the food should be kept and stored according to instructions of manufacturer, taking into account the rules of freezing, thawing and preparation of dishes”.