Minister of Economy Sets 48-Hour Deadline to Inventory Meat Warehouses

Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Bsat tasked consumer protection inspectors with immediate action on the meat safety file, following recent cases of food poisoning and suspicions of fraud. He set a deadline of ٤٨ hours to submit the names of meat storage warehouses, both licensed and unlicensed, along with available data regarding them.

Bsat's directives emphasized auditing meat sources, storage conditions, refrigeration standards, and expiration dates in butcher shops, restaurants, and retail establishments. The instructions also mandate drafting violation reports against offenders and immediately reporting unlicensed or non-compliant sites. This includes collecting data on slaughterhouses and transport means suspected of violating regulations.

This step follows the emergency government meeting held on November ٢. The collected data will be made available to the Lebanese Food Safety Authority for coordination with relevant ministries and agencies under the supervision of the Public Prosecution Office, with the participation of nutrition specialist inspectors from the ministry.

Food safety is a red line, and there is no tolerance for violations that endanger public health.