Ministry for Primary Industries are warning against buying illegal home-kill this Christmas.
Ministry for Primary Industries are warning against buying illegal home-kill this Christmas.
Officials are warning people about the food safety risk of buying illegal home-kill meat for Christmas after a Far North man was nabbed for selling sheep and pigs.
Ministry for Primary Industries compliance officers shut down an illegal home-kill operation in Kaitaia in September, but fear it may be thetip of the iceberg in the Far North. The man was issued with a written warning after reports of sheep and pig carcasses hanging in trees. Officials said it was at the lower end of offending but posed a serious health risk. Illegal home-kill includes meat bought direct from a stock owner, animals bought and slaughtered on site and animals bought and taken home for immediate slaughter.
MPI Northland District Compliance Manager Steve Rudsdale said illegal home-kill was not inspected for disease and consumers had no guarantee it had been processed hygienically.
"When meat isn't processed hygienically and kept properly chilled there is potential for contamination and bacteria such as campylobacter, salmonella and E coli that can make people seriously sick."
Penalties in the Animal Products Act include fines up to $300,000 and imprisonment.
Home-kill meat can only be eaten by the animal's owner, the owner's immediate family and household, and those of their farm staff. It can be served on marae for traditional activities, but commercial operations on marae must use commercially processed meat.
