Raids expose trade in dead birds, unsafe chicken likely on your plate

According to officials, chickens in large numbers were being brought from various places like Vellore, Namakkal, Chittoor and Krishnagiri to Chennai for sales. However, a sizable number of chickens died during transportation. Though dead chickens cannot be sold out at any cost, some greedy traders purchased them and sold them to unsuspecting customers.

It is said the Chennai district collector, Anbu Selvan, directed the food safety officials to inspect all the poultry and chicken wholesale shops in the city. 

“Acting on the tip-off we formed two teams consisting 12 Food Safety Officers (FSO) and we conducted massive raids in Pudupet and Chintadripet. We inspected 29 shops and we found 12 unhygienic chicken and 26 dead chickens that were kept in the shop for sales,” said an FSO. The dead chicken would be disposed at the dumping yard with proper disinfection, he added. 

When contacted, R Kathiravan, Designated Officer, FSSAI, said, “we will intensify our monitoring in the coming days in all the areas and we will penalise the offenders indulging in such practices.” 

Accroding to FSSAI officials, this was the first time that they had come across dead birds being sold in the city. They also advised the general public to be cautious while buying chickens and asked them to inform the FSO if they sensed something amiss.