Muscat – Muscat Municipality made early preparations to welcome Eid al Fitr 1443 by increasing the number of butchers and maintaining the equipment and devices used in the slaughterhouses. The municipality has also worked with the company operating the slaughterhouses to implement an online system to offer a pre-reservation requests of private sacrifices for individuals.

The system will be effective on Friday, 27th of Ramadan until the second day of Eid, while carcasses can be taken from the slaughterhouse refrigerators the next morning.

As for meat shops and companies, they can have their livestock slaughtered in the evening only after making a pre-reservation, and without the presence of individuals.

At the same time, local sheep and goats, cows and camels for individuals can be received in the slaughterhouse starting from Saturday 28th Ramadan to the second day of Eid al Fitr, in the evening period from 7.30pm to 8.30pm, and can receive the carcass the same day.

Muscat Municipality urges all institutions, charities, companies and meat shops wishing to slaughter livestock in the slaughterhouses of Muscat Municipality to contact the company operating the slaughterhouses in advance.

Safe meat

Muscat Municipality stresses the importance of following these instructions when buying fresh meat:

·Make sure there is a municipal seal on the carcass, which confirms that the carcass has been slaughtered in municipal slaughterhouses under the supervision of a veterinary.

·For imported chilled meat, it is advisable to check the label of each carcass which includes the country of production and the date of validity, and to keep it at a temperature not higher than 4 °C.

·Frozen meat should be kept at a temperature not higher than -18 °C.

·The consumer must be present when the meat is chopped to ensure its suitability.

Buying fresh meat

Consumers should be aware of some important observations to ensure that they buy fresh meat, including:

·The colour of the meat should be bright red in general, and should not change to brown or gray, which indicates the corruption of the meat as a result of the growth of some microorganisms in it.

·Make sure the meat is firm in texture, free from unpleasant odours.

Livestock safety

Muscat Municipality stresses the importance of virtual inspection of livestock before buying livestock, and of the most important signs that should be noted are:

·The livestock should be healthy and doesn’t show emaciation or lameness.

·It’s free from any visible sores, wounds or tumours.

·No discharge in the nose or eyes.

·It’s free from the tick insect.

Municipality prepares for Eid al Fitr

Muscat Municipality is preparing to provide continued public services during the Eid al al Fitr. These include inspection of restaurants, cafeterias and foodstuff shops, as well as preparing the central slaughterhouse and public parks to receive people.

A statement issued by Muscat Municipality, said ‘As the Eid approaches, our environmental health practitioners in Bausher carried out a series of inspections of hairdressing salons; to make sure they are in compliance with relevant regulations, including hygiene etiquette and control of exposure to hazardous substances.’