Meat is one of the most commonly consumed protein sources in Vietnamese households. It can be prepared in various ways, including boiling, frying, stir-frying, grilling, and stewing.
Never buy pork with these qualities: Unusual smell, discolored…
In order to have delicious dishes, the first standard is to buy good and clean pork. Homemakers need to know the signs to distinguish between good and unsafe pork.
Never buy pork with these qualities
If a piece of pork has these 8 qualities, even if it’s cheap, don’t buy it because it can bring harm to you and your family.
Unusual smell
You don’t need to put your nose close to it, just hold the piece of pork in front of you where the wind is blowing and you will clearly smell this unusual smell.
Normal pork has a slightly tangy smell from the blood, while spoiled pork has a foul and rotten smell. This pork is usually left for too long or poorly preserved, resulting in spoilage.
Discolored, blood sticking on the surface
If the surface of the pork has unusual colors such as dark gray, dark red, or black and red, it is likely to be dirty and not fresh pork. Pieces of pork with blood, pink fat, or dark blood vessels are from dead and diseased pigs.
Many people think that blood stains on the surface of the meat indicate fresh pork that has just been slaughtered. In fact, when a pig is slaughtered, those blood stains are cleaned. Pieces of meat with blood on the surface are likely caused by dishonest sellers to deceive buyers. Typically, these pieces of meat will have dark color and unpleasant smell, and they can cause illness when consumed. Therefore, you should never buy pork with these qualities.
No elasticity
Fresh pork usually has good elasticity. When you press your finger into the meat and release it, the indentation created by your finger will quickly fill up and disappear.
If the pork is injected with water, its elasticity will be very low.
Pieces of meat without such elasticity may be frozen meat, freeze-thawed naturally for sale. Spoiled pork can also have this condition.
Pork surface looks watery
A piece of pork that appears to have a lot of water or is wet and soggy has likely been injected or soaked in water to increase its weight. If you see water flowing from the pork and the seller frequently uses a towel to absorb it, you should stay away from it because that pork has been injected with water.
Feels sticky when touched
If it’s fresh pork, when you touch it, you will feel it’s slightly sticky. However, spoiled pork will feel sticky, similar to a slimy texture. When you smell it, it won’t have the characteristic smell but a rotten smell, indicating bacterial contamination. These pieces of meat will have a pungent odor when cooked and can affect your health if consumed.
Pork with blood vessels
Blood vessels in pork often contain pathogens, bacteria, and a foul smell that cannot be eliminated even with thorough cooking. The neck of the pig is the part with the most blood vessels. You should avoid buying pork with visible blood vessels.
Pork from diseased pigs usually have distinctive signs like bleeding spots on the skin and ears.
Red-colored hair follicles
Normally, hair follicles on the pig’s skin are black or white depending on the pig breed and skin color. If the hair follicles turn red, it is highly likely that the piece of meat comes from a dead pig. Pork from dead pigs will be dark red, with thick black-red blood, and give off a strong rotten smell. You should never buy pork with these qualities.
Excessively thin layer of fat
The thickness of the fat layer on pork depends on the body part of the pig and the pig breed. Generally, common pig breeds have a thick layer of fat, while crossbred pigs have a relatively thin fat layer.
Pork that has been injected appears fresher than usual, and the fat layer is very thin, usually less than 1cm.
It’s important to note that pork that appears unusually fresh and has a very thin layer of fat, often less than 1cm, with loose connections between meat fibers, should never be bought.
Tips for choosing safe pork
According to experts, when buying pork, you should carefully observe it. Pork from pigs without the use of lean-enhancing agents often has a higher fat ratio (the fat is interspersed within the lean meat) compared to pork from pigs given lean-enhancing agents.
Source: VTC
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