Expert warns: 'Do not put freshly slaughtered sacrificial meat in the refrigerator'

As we prepare for Eid al-Adha, thousands of citizens will fulfill their sacrificial duties. Experts have issued important warnings to ensure that the meat from the slaughtered animals is not wasted and is stored under hygienic conditions.

Speaking on the subject, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hüdayi Ercoşkun, a faculty member at the Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Çankırı Karatekin University, stated that the meat should be left to rest for a while after slaughter before being frozen. Noting that meat frozen immediately after slaughter will harden, Ercoşkun emphasized the importance of letting the meat rest.

"FRESHLY SLAUGHTERED SACRIFICIAL MEAT SHOULD REST FOR A FEW HOURS BEFORE BEING PUT IN THE REFRIGERATOR"

Stating that meat is at its softest immediately after slaughter, Ercoşkun said, "Freshly slaughtered sacrificial meat should rest for a few hours before being put in the refrigerator. If we freeze the slaughtered meat within 24 hours, it will freeze during the rigor mortis stage, and when we thaw it, it will be at its toughest. Freshly slaughtered meat is at its softest. It gradually hardens and then begins to relax again. During that time, the blood in the veins drains, and lactic acid is formed. It emerges as a microbiologically safer meat."

"INSTEAD OF CONSUMING MEAT FOR BREAKFAST..."

Noting that meat should not be consumed for breakfast, Ercoşkun added, "We can store the sacrificial meat in refrigerator conditions for 15 days. If we want to freeze it, we need to wait at least 24 hours. Meat is a food that is difficult to digest. Instead of consuming meat for breakfast, we should eat foods that are easier to digest."