Jamaicans warned against consuming washed-ashore chicken

A container fell off a vessel that was in-transit to the Cayman Islands from Brazil, and drifted to Jamaica where it was washed up along St Catherine’s Hellshire coastline on Thursday, April 3.

News reports out of that northern Caribbean nation indicate that, against the advice of the Minister of Agriculture, people helped themselves to the chicken on-board the beached container.

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining, Floyd Green issued the warning cautioning Jamaicans to refrain from consuming, selling, or distributing the chicken products that were washed ashore. However, videos from newspapers in Jamaica and other sources showed people removing boxes from the container.

Several of the videos uploaded to different social media pages also showed a beach full of what appeared to be empty chicken boxes along with plastic and other litter covering the beach.

One uploader showed inside the container, which was empty.

The ministry of Agriculture had also advised that the chicken products from the washed-up container were not stored under proper cold-chain conditions, which raised concerns about food safety and spoilage.

Moreover, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as “bird flu,” is a growing global threat, and consuming unverified poultry products can pose serious risks to human and animal health, as well as Jamaica’s poultry industry.

Meanwhile, Opposition Spokesman on Health and Wellness, Dr Alfred Dawes, expressed concern about the images circulating online, showing members of the public removing boxes of raw chicken from the shipping container.
“The chicken may now be contaminated with salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and other harmful pathogens,” Dawes warned.

“These bacteria can cause serious food-borne illnesses, especially in children, the elderly, and persons with compromised immune systems.”
Dawes also expressed concern about the unknown time and temperature exposure of the chicken, which could lead to rapid bacterial growth.

“There is no assurance of proper food handling or hygiene since they were retrieved directly from a damaged shipping container and carried away by individuals under unsanitary conditions,” he added.

He urged the relevant government ministries and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to immediately investigate and seize the container to safely dispose of the remaining goods to prevent further risk to public health.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry reiterated its advice to the public not to consume or feed the chicken to animals, and to contact their local public health department for guidance on safe disposal.

The ministry also urged individuals to report any instances of sale or distribution of these products to the relevant authorities.

(Source: LoopNews Jamaica)