Meat seals form one of the supervisory marks that help consumers identify the type of carcass and verify that it has undergone veterinary inspection, as their shapes, colors, and data vary according to the animal's type and sex, making familiarity with their meanings important when purchasing meat, especially in light of possibilities of fraud and tampering with seals.
Khaled Qarqoura, director of the Damascus slaughterhouse, told SANA on Saturday that work begins with inspecting animals intended for slaughter, by a medical team comprising veterinary doctors and veterinary inspectors, before they are brought into the slaughter halls, where slaughtering, skinning, and evisceration operations take place.
He pointed out that inspection continues after slaughter to verify the condition of the meat and determine its suitability for human consumption, as suitable meat is sealed with the designated seals, then transported by refrigerated vehicles to markets and sales shops, while unsuitable meat is destroyed at the slaughterhouse to complete the established procedures.
Variation of Seals According to Type and Sex
Meat seals differ according to the type and sex of the carcass, combining color, shape, and the phrase written on them, with the slaughterhouse name included in all seals. Qarqoura pointed out that meat from male Awassi sheep carries a red triangular seal, while female meat carries a blue triangular seal, with the sex and type stated on the seal.
As for cow meat, it carries a rectangular blue seal, while calf meat is distinguished by a rectangular red seal, with the meat type written on each. Goat meat carries hexagonal seals in blue for both males and females, with the carcass sex specified, while camel meat carries a circular red seal for both sexes.
Additional Marks and Warnings Against Forgery
There are also special seals for non-Syrian Billa sheep, in blue for males and females, with their type and sex written. As for lean meat suitable for human consumption, a blue seal bearing the phrase "lean meat" is added to it, regardless of the carcass sex.
Qarqoura emphasized that these differences are not minor details; knowing them helps the consumer read the mark and compare it with the type of meat displayed, rather than just looking at the color or shape without paying attention to other data. However, the possibility of seal forgery remains, as Qarqoura points out the potential for forgery by other parties or shop owners, considering that forgery cases are clear and exposed when attempting to forge or imitate seals.
Importance of Verifying the Complete Mark
He stressed that dealing with the seal requires paying attention to the complete mark, not just its color, including its shape, the data written on it, and the slaughterhouse name, and that the presence of a seal that appears identical should not be understood as conclusive proof of its authenticity without verification if there is doubt.
The importance of seals lies in being an obvious means to identify meat that has undergone inspection at the slaughterhouse, but their effectiveness in curbing fraud is linked to the ability to verify their authenticity, along with supervising meat trading and sales processes.
Among the shapes, colors, and phrases, reading the seal becomes an important step for the consumer, which does not replace veterinary supervision, but gives them an additional means to know the specifications of what they are buying, and to pay attention to signs that warrant inquiry and verification before making a purchase decision.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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