December 8 Deadline to Submit Meat to SRC for Processing

Jamaicans looking to have holiday favourites such as picnic ham, smoked chicken, and bacon on their plates for Christmas, can do so through the smoked meat facility of the Scientific Research Council (SRC).

Persons have until December 8 to submit cuts of meat to the plant for processing.

With a turnaround time of 10 days, Team Leader at the Food Pilot Plant, Annaleise Aiken, is assuring that processing of the meat will be done in time to be included in the family’s holiday spread.

Ms. Aiken informed JIS News that the plant is accepting red meat and birds for processing at a cost of $399 per pound, inclusive of tax.

“We really don’t put any limits on [the kinds of meats]. We have had people bring in rabbits, turkeys and ducks. As long as you can bring us raw meat in good quality, we will accept it and do our best to process it for you,” she said.

With respect to pork, the SRC is accepting large cuts, such as the legs as well as the whole animal, which can be broken down into pork chops, ribs, hock, sausage and more.

Ms. Aiken said that as a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)-certified organisation, the SRC has several measures in place to produce high-quality goods. In addition, the Council employs safe meat-processing activities.

“We also take great caution to ensure that we use the correct ingredients in the [appropriate] ratios, so that the meat is also of a high nutritional value,” Ms. Aiken added.

She assured that there is an individual tagging system, which ensures that there is no mix-up of the meats brought into the facility.

Each piece of meat is given a unique physical tag bearing a distinctive number, which remains on the item until the processing is complete.

The SRC also has finished products available for purchase. Pork products range from $829 to $1,624 per pound and smoked chicken is priced at $822 per pound. All prices include tax.