SINGAPORE: Sales of frozen meat at NTUC FairPrice have gone up by 30 per cent in the past month since a public campaign was launched on 23 February to get more people to switch over from chilled, fresh meat.

But the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said care must be taken when buying and storing frozen meat to avoid bacterial growth.

AVA said that compared to chilled or fresh meat, frozen meat can keep longer, plus it's cheaper too.

AVA added that the price of a chilled chicken has increased by 20 per cent since last September from S$4 a kilogramme, to S$5.

And despite initial reservations, more Singaporeans are warming up to the idea.

NTUC FairPrice said sales of frozen meat at its stores have gone up by 30 per cent in the past month.

So how does one go about buying the meat?

AVA said the meat should be in a hard, frozen state and the packaging should also not be torn, crushed or juice-stained, and there should be no excessive ice crystals on the meat.

Dr Chua Sin-Bin, Chief Executive Officer of AVA, said: "Ice crystals will actually puncture the muscle cells and the next time you thaw the meat out, the damaged muscle cells will allow the goodies, all the nutrients in the muscles, to leak out as drip."

Another reason why you should avoid thawing and refreezing meat too often is due to bacterial growth.

AVA said that you should buy your meat just before heading home and store it in a cooler bag to keep the temperature constant.

Frozen meat can be kept cold in an insulator bag for up to an hour. But if the meat thaws, keep it in the chiller compartment of your fridge and consume within a few days.

You should also avoid leaving the meat in the car boot, as the higher temperature will encourage quicker thawing of the meat.

And to suit the demands of consumers, AVA is working with importers to package meat in smaller servings. - CNA/vm