At A Supermarket Near You - Fetid, Rancid, Rotten Meat

[loong]

Most of the butchering is done in Bangkok. As a rule, the meat is not shipped refrigerated. The farther from Bangkok and depending on the company's logistics, meats can go unrefrigerated for several days before finding their way into a refrigerated case at the market. This is a plain fact and a fact of life in Thailand. "Reefer' trucks are very few and far between and refrigerated shipping is only now becoming commonly used. If you doubt this, to out and watch the trucks on the highway. Seeing a refer truck on the Bangkok to Chiang Mai road is an extremely rare occurance.

If that is the case why is so much of the meat in Tescos frozen?

[dazk]

Most of the butchering is done in Bangkok. As a rule, the meat is not shipped refrigerated. The farther from Bangkok and depending on the company's logistics, meats can go unrefrigerated for several days before finding their way into a refrigerated case at the market. This is a plain fact and a fact of life in Thailand. "Reefer' trucks are very few and far between and refrigerated shipping is only now becoming commonly used. If you doubt this, to out and watch the trucks on the highway. Seeing a refer truck on the Bangkok to Chiang Mai road is an extremely rare occurance.

If that is the case why is so much of the meat in Tescos frozen?

yes same in macro when you get there early the chicken is in big frozen blocks and i have seen refer lorries delivering

[kennedy]

Get to know the monger, if buying at a market.Order what you need.Make sure he has ice chests.

[chiangmaikelly]

im in cm too. my stuff are from tops near mercure, makro superhighway and rimping nim city. never had issues with rimping and tops but generally i try to avoid special deals and meats in open tray as people like you are sniffing them.

try tanin market, there are no flies no nothing in the meat area.

there are a handful of good butchers like northern farm, sausage kings, pong yang kam etc etc

i have not much issues finding decent meat

If there are no flies in the market the food is sprayed with insecticide.

[yoslim]

I buy meat from the local market, never had any problem. and it's usually half the price of the supermarket. Best is to go to the local market aroud 6am

[BookMan]

No but . . . . . .

Maybe one of the best songs, by one of the worlds best bands.

Never heard of them.

Here's the link: http://www.thaivisa....ands-food-plan/

They are not all that well known outside suicidally depressed cliques

[Semper]

No but . . . . . .

Maybe one of the best songs, by one of the worlds best bands.

Never heard of them.

Here's the link: http://www.thaivisa....ands-food-plan/

They are not all that well known outside suicidally depressed cliques

Thanks. I thought i had missed something.

[Rsquared]

I am lucky, my wife has always been involved with food.....she is currently at work in her own restaurant as I type.....and living in a small village, she knows all the food mongers and knows what is fresh and what isn't.

We don't need to shop at large food retailers for our food.

I am so lucky, I get all the fresh stuff and it gets scrutinised by my wife before it passes my lips.

Go vegetarian.....kiddin' arn't ya! Love my veggies, but I'll never give up me meat.

[Chicog]

Isn't Northern Farms in Chiang Mai? I ran all over the place one year looking for a decent leg of lamb until someone pointed me at them.

I swear when I collected it the bloody thing was still twitching.

[chiangmaikelly]

Isn't Northern Farms in Chiang Mai? I ran all over the place one year looking for a decent leg of lamb until someone pointed me at them.

I swear when I collected it the bloody thing was still twitching.

Don't you hang lamb for 24 hours?

[canuckamuck]

Some of you people are sensitive and paranoid. Just because it is possible to create the sterile lifestyle of the west over here, doesn't mean it is necessary.

Cowboy up, you are in Asia.

[loong]

No but . . . . . .

Maybe one of the best songs, by one of the worlds best bands.

Never heard of them.

Here's the link: http://www.thaivisa....ands-food-plan/

They are not all that well known outside suicidally depressed cliques

Thanks. I thought i had missed something.

I was dragged, reluctantly to a Smiths concert many years ago. I was instantly converted. As a live band, a terrific performance

[cooked]

If you choose to live in he cesspools of Bangkok, you have to put up with this stuff. I hope to get the chicken coop finished next week, we should be getting enough vegetables out of the garden soon. We have fish and I am thinking about shrimp farming... pigs next door, I don't think that we will poison ourselves.

[SundayAfternoon]

If there are no flies in the market the food is sprayed with insecticide.

Yeah, well, this worries me too because I've seen fumigators go through the markets at, say, three in the afternoon for example, spraying everything... and everyone! I suppose it goes on in the supermarkets too, after hours. But to think of all the fresh food just getting blasted with... who knows what... Yum yum.

Some of you people are sensitive and paranoid. Just because it is possible to create the sterile lifestyle of the west over here, doesn't mean it is necessary.

Cowboy up, you are in Asia.

Some of us were actually born here in Asia, and believe it or not, spent our entire lives here!!! Doesn't mean that I want to be a cowboy though, thanks all the same for the really helpful advice.

I buy meat from the local market, never had any problem. and it's usually half the price of the supermarket. Best is to go to the local market aroud 6am

Good advice for the local market. Get there early so it hasn't sat about all day.

Isn't Northern Farms in Chiang Mai? I ran all over the place one year looking for a decent leg of lamb until someone pointed me at them.

I swear when I collected it the bloody thing was still twitching.

Thanks for the info. I quite fancy twitching lamb. (Much better than being a vegetarian) Can I just rock up there and buy meat directly? Does anyone have any more info on Northern Farms?

[BookMan]

I was dragged, reluctantly to a Smiths concert many years ago. I was instantly converted. As a live band, a terrific performance

They had some good tunes, especially if you were living in shared accommodation, rolling your own smokes and drinking a lot of bourbon and coke.

One of their cheerier love songs

[arthurwait]

I was dragged, reluctantly to a Smiths concert many years ago. I was instantly converted. As a live band, a terrific performance

They had some good tunes, especially if you were living in shared accommodation, rolling your own smokes and drinking a lot of bourbon and coke.

One of their cheerier love songs

Don't mock people who appreciate genius just because you had your cushion to keep you company.

[cmsally]

Strange that this should be Chiang Mai, last week bought chicken legs at Big C , less than 2 days in the colder part of the fridge and the whole fridge stank. Back to the local market, no problems buying there.

[jacktrip]

I buy meat from the local market, never had any problem. and it's usually half the price of the supermarket. Best is to go to the local market aroud 6am

been going to the local market near daily for almost 8 months now. saw another foreigner there only one time.

try it folks, the food is great, cheap and safe.

[The Snark]

Using a little logic is the key to buying safe foods. When you see foods, ask yourself, Where did it come from and how was it shipped? Someone gave an example of meats arriving at Tesco in big frozen blocks. Now tesco is an international company that has the finances to purchase and maintain a fleet of refreigerated trucks and tries to maintain certain standards. But think it through. As an example.

-There are no major slaughterhouses in the Chiang Mai area as example. Anyone who has been in the vicinity of the Chicago stock yards and slaughter houses can tell you about the massive operations that goes into meat packing. 'Refer' trucks do not have the ability to freeze foods. That takes a massive fixed refrigeration plant. For those who have worked in the refrigeration industry, you have an approximate idea of the kilowatts of power it takes to freeze great amounts of bulk items, far beyond the small diesel engine powered refrigerators on those trucks. So the freezing was done at a distribution plant.

Now, if all the frozen meats go directly to one store that's fine. But what about all the smaller mini marts? Those great blocks must be unfrozen and broken down into smaller lots. You are now set up to violate one of the rules of food preservation: -never re-freeze-. It's been frozen, thawed then you will take it home and refreeze it. The question immediately comes to mind. Has the unfreezing been done in refrigerated rooms (called repacking rooms/environments) where the meats cannot go up above a certain temperature, or is just broken down into lots at some warehouse or even a huge parking lot which is very common for redistribution centers?

The bottom line is, safe sanitary foods distribution is a science. It requires a carefully laid out logistics operation that is always 100% free of any lapses during the entire transportation and distribution system. In the case of refreezing, that is ample opportunity for botulism take take hold in the product.

With meats, the beef is shipped unbutchered in cold storage trucks at just above freezing, When it arrived at the markets it is then butchered, cut up into the various portions and put in a display case, still unfrozen. When you put it in your freezer, that is the first time it gets frozen! You also may occasionally see a government inspector at supermarkets. One of their jobs it to check the temperature of the meat during butchering so it never goes above a certain temperature.

With frozen foods you see in supermarkets, that product must have never been unthawed from when it was first packed. That is why frozen products always cost more as a general rule. You are paying for keeping the products frozen from packing house to display case.

[The Snark]

Addendum. Ever got a funny tummy from eating at a fast food establishment. (An estimated 50,000 people a day in the US suffer from this). The two causes for this are improper handling, as employees not washing their hands after potty breaks, and refreeze). As example, for convenience, Mc buys and ships frozen hamburger pattys. Don't expect a heck of a lot of effort at those restaurants in handling the foods properly with minimum wage employees. The companys have policies on how the products are handled right to the broilers or deep fat fryers to make up for it.

[The Snark]

Addendum addendum The only time re-freezing is permissible is when the food has undergone a sterilization process in between. You cook up a dinner, sterilizing it, then put some in your freezer for later.

[canuckamuck]

Using a little logic is the key to buying safe foods. When you see foods, ask yourself, Where did it come from and how was it shipped? Someone gave an example of meats arriving at Tesco in big frozen blocks. Now tesco is an international company that has the finances to purchase and maintain a fleet of refreigerated trucks and tries to maintain certain standards. But think it through. As an example.

-There are no major slaughterhouses in the Chiang Mai area as example. Anyone who has been in the vicinity of the Chicago stock yards and slaughter houses can tell you about the massive operations that goes into meat packing. 'Refer' trucks do not have the ability to freeze foods. That takes a massive fixed refrigeration plant. For those who have worked in the refrigeration industry, you have an approximate idea of the kilowatts of power it takes to freeze great amounts of bulk items, far beyond the small diesel engine powered refrigerators on those trucks. So the freezing was done at a distribution plant.

Now, if all the frozen meats go directly to one store that's fine. But what about all the smaller mini marts? Those great blocks must be unfrozen and broken down into smaller lots. You are now set up to violate one of the rules of food preservation: -never re-freeze-. It's been frozen, thawed then you will take it home and refreeze it. The question immediately comes to mind. Has the unfreezing been done in refrigerated rooms (called repacking rooms/environments) where the meats cannot go up above a certain temperature, or is just broken down into lots at some warehouse or even a huge parking lot which is very common for redistribution centers?

The bottom line is, safe sanitary foods distribution is a science. It requires a carefully laid out logistics operation that is always 100% free of any lapses during the entire transportation and distribution system. In the case of refreezing, that is ample opportunity for botulism take take hold in the product.

With meats, the beef is shipped unbutchered in cold storage trucks at just above freezing, When it arrived at the markets it is then butchered, cut up into the various portions and put in a display case, still unfrozen. When you put it in your freezer, that is the first time it gets frozen! You also may occasionally see a government inspector at supermarkets. One of their jobs it to check the temperature of the meat during butchering so it never goes above a certain temperature.

With frozen foods you see in supermarkets, that product must have never been unthawed from when it was first packed. That is why frozen products always cost more as a general rule. You are paying for keeping the products frozen from packing house to display case.

Do you buy raw meat at a mini mart?

[canuckamuck]

Some of you people are sensitive and paranoid. Just because it is possible to create the sterile lifestyle of the west over here, doesn't mean it is necessary.

Cowboy up, you are in Asia.

Some of us were actually born here in Asia, and believe it or not, spent our entire lives here!!! Doesn't mean that I want to be a cowboy though, thanks all the same for the really helpful advice.

Asia is a big place, perhaps I should have narrowed it down and said Thailand. But clearly by this topic you didn't grow up here or you would have had this sorted by now.

The markets are the place to go. Go early and yes find a fresh kill. We know when our guy kills pigs. We buy on those days. We have our own chicken and fish so beef is the only thing that is tricky. Makro has a frozen type of ground beef that comes in 1kg bags. It has always been good (don't know the name). Cuts of beef, are usually too expensive for the quality you get here, but Tops seems to have a good supplier. It is very easy to determine if never-frozen beef is fresh or not; taste is always a gamble here though.

In the supermarkets, you take your chances just like you do in the west. There is plenty of expired food issues in western supermarkets too.

But the main thing is to cook your food properly, and you won't have to worry about it. It is those vegetarians that are scarfing down all the raw stuff, now that is Russian roulette.

[londoedan]

They are not all that well known outside suicidally depressed cliques

"It's so easy to laugh, its so easy to hate,

It takes guts to be gentle and kind"

Now I wonder who said that ?

As for your opinion that they are not well known !?! thats laughable - one of the most influential bands of the last 30 years.

[BookMan]

They are not all that well known outside suicidally depressed cliques

"It's so easy to laugh, its so easy to hate,

It takes guts to be gentle and kind"

Now I wonder who said that ?

As for your opinion that they are not well known !?! thats laughable - one of the most influential bands of the last 30 years.

Just some humour londoedan....just some humour...lost on serious Smiths fans I suspect

[londoedan]

They are not all that well known outside suicidally depressed cliques

"It's so easy to laugh, its so easy to hate,

It takes guts to be gentle and kind"

Now I wonder who said that ?

As for your opinion that they are not well known !?! thats laughable - one of the most influential bands of the last 30 years.

Just some humour londoedan....just some humour...lost on serious Smiths fans I suspect

Don't give up your day job.

[meatboy]

just go to the supermarkets that open early and you will see meat in open trays frozen that is supposed to be fresh,then if you visit hrs later the tray is full of blood and water from defrosting. then the trays are topped up with fresh meat that will soak up the water and blood of the last lot and so till closing time,any meat that has been wrapped in cling film and is not stored in a cool counter or fridge will go off in no time,how many times you see water on the floor under freezers thats because they turn them down to low over night.we do buy meat in bulk expecially chkn,makro and tesco never had a problem and a lot of fillet steak of one local market trader and pork never had any bad meat from them,maybe thats down to the wife who holds 3 hygeine certificates from her job as a catering supervisor for 17yrs in the uk.as for eating out never would we eat in these fast food outlets in the shopping centers after been served cooked meat that was still frozen in the middle,cooked[or should i say microwaved by kids] couple of out door food stalls near us serve perfectly cooked meals by good old dears that know what their doing.

[loong]

Using a little logic is the key to buying safe foods. When you see foods, ask yourself, Where did it come from and how was it shipped? Someone gave an example of meats arriving at Tesco in big frozen blocks. Now tesco is an international company that has the finances to purchase and maintain a fleet of refreigerated trucks and tries to maintain certain standards. But think it through. As an example.

-There are no major slaughterhouses in the Chiang Mai area as example. Anyone who has been in the vicinity of the Chicago stock yards and slaughter houses can tell you about the massive operations that goes into meat packing. 'Refer' trucks do not have the ability to freeze foods. That takes a massive fixed refrigeration plant. For those who have worked in the refrigeration industry, you have an approximate idea of the kilowatts of power it takes to freeze great amounts of bulk items, far beyond the small diesel engine powered refrigerators on those trucks. So the freezing was done at a distribution plant.

Now, if all the frozen meats go directly to one store that's fine. But what about all the smaller mini marts? Those great blocks must be unfrozen and broken down into smaller lots. You are now set up to violate one of the rules of food preservation: -never re-freeze-. It's been frozen, thawed then you will take it home and refreeze it. The question immediately comes to mind. Has the unfreezing been done in refrigerated rooms (called repacking rooms/environments) where the meats cannot go up above a certain temperature, or is just broken down into lots at some warehouse or even a huge parking lot which is very common for redistribution centers?

The bottom line is, safe sanitary foods distribution is a science. It requires a carefully laid out logistics operation that is always 100% free of any lapses during the entire transportation and distribution system. In the case of refreezing, that is ample opportunity for botulism take take hold in the product.

With meats, the beef is shipped unbutchered in cold storage trucks at just above freezing, When it arrived at the markets it is then butchered, cut up into the various portions and put in a display case, still unfrozen. When you put it in your freezer, that is the first time it gets frozen! You also may occasionally see a government inspector at supermarkets. One of their jobs it to check the temperature of the meat during butchering so it never goes above a certain temperature.

With frozen foods you see in supermarkets, that product must have never been unthawed from when it was first packed. That is why frozen products always cost more as a general rule. You are paying for keeping the products frozen from packing house to display case.

Do you buy raw meat at a mini mart?

Tesco Lotus mini marts (are the called Express?) sell raw meat.

[F1fanatic]

Whenever I go near the meat section at my local Tesco, the smell hits me... Its obvious that some of their thawed chicken or pork is past its 'best by' date.

Similar to a previous poster, I sniff any meat before I buy it and also check the colour etc.

As the OP says, the meat in my local market is also covered in flies - pretty off-putting. Additionally, I assume they buy their chicken from the same place as Tesco, as I've seen them re-stocking a partially filled tray with de-frosting chicken from bags.

Edited October 5, 2012 by F1fanatic

[chiangmaikelly]

OK so I go to the chemical store and buy 1 kilo of food grade acetic acid. I am on my way home looking at this plactic bag with a kilo of white powder in it. Dear Lord, don't let a cop stop me. When I tell him it's vitamin C and why I need one kilo of vitamin C. It was 200 baht for 1 kilo BTW. I do speak Thai and I told the guy at the chemical store it was for washing vegetables. You could see the look in his eye. This Farang is cutting a whole lot of drugs with one kilo.

Edited October 5, 2012 by chiangmaikelly