Can the influenza vaccine prevent Avian Flu?

The influenza vaccine cannot prevent Avian Flu as the vaccine was meant for human influenza. However, the vaccine can help reduce the chance of complications and hospitalisation from influenza; hence the vaccine is recommended for the elderly and patients with chronic cardiac or respiratory diseases. People should seek medical advice if they are considering getting the vaccination.

Does a change in colour indicate spoilage?

Change in colour alone does not mean the product is spoiled. Colour changes are normal for fresh product. With spoilage there can be a change in colour, often fading or darkening. In addition to the colour change, the meat or poultry will have an off odour, be sticky or tacky to the touch, or it may be slimy. If meat has developed these characteristics, it should not be used.

Does Contamination have an effect on Sensory properties of Meat and Meat Products?

Aerobic spoilage by bacteria and yeasts usually result in slime formation, undesirable odours and flavours (taints). Colour changes, rancidity, tallow or chalky flavours from the breakdown of lipids may also occur. Colour changes as a result of pigment oxidation may be grey, brown or green. Aerobic spoilage by moulds results in a sticky surface, musty odours, alcohol flavours and creamy, black or green discoloration.

Anaerobic spoilage which occurs either within the meat or on the surface in sealed containers where oxygen is absent or very limited is marked by a souring due to the production of organic acids and gases.

Does Emdad provide their services in all the emirates in the Country?

Yes, Emdad offers their services in all the emirates through its distribution hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ras Al Khaima & Fujairah.

How can I have a good diet?

A good diet is a balanced one - lots of different foods and not too much of any one food. That way you get all the nutrients that you need. Many countries have guidelines for healthy diets, in some cases recommended daily amounts of specific nutrients. However, it is emphasised that these guidelines are for healthy individuals, not for those with disease symptoms or food allergies or intolerances. These people should consult a dietician or physician

How do I avoid contracting the disease when travelling?

Postpone the trip if you feel unwell, particularly if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms. If you feel unwell when outside Hong Kong, especially if you have a fever or cough, wear a mask and inform the hotel staff or tour leader. See a doctor at once.

Travellers are advised to avoid contact with birds and poultry, and avoid going to bird parks, poultry markets and farms. Do not feed pigeons or other birds. If you have been in contact with birds or poultry, immediately wash your hands thoroughly with liquid soap and water. Observe food hygiene and eat only poultry and eggs that have been thoroughly cooked.

How do I prevent a Salmonella infection?

In order to stop the increasing numbers of cases of Salmonella, consumers and producers must be educated on proper handling and cooking of eggs and other high-risk foods. Cross-contamination of foods must be avoided. Uncooked eggs, poultry and meats should be kept separate from produce and ready-to-eat foods. Hands, cutting boards, counters, knives, and other utensils should be washed thoroughly after handling uncooked foods.

Poultry or beef should be cooked well, in a temperature of 71C or greater (This will ensure that the Salmonella is killed if present).

• Do not eat or drink foods that contain raw eggs


• Never drink raw (un-pasteurized) milk


• If you are served undercooked meat, poultry or eggs in a restaurant, don't hesitate to send it back to the kitchen for it to be cooked some more


• Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, and utensils with soap and water immediately after they have been in contact with foods of animal origin

How do Proteins and Peptides contribute to meat Flavour?

A food's flavour is a principle reason a consumer purchases an item; meat is no exception. This makes it important for food scientists to have a thorough understanding of flavours and its changes if they are to produce meat items that consumers will purchase repeatedly. This knowledge of meat and meat products is important since development and loss of flavour is a continual process in meat. Development of flavour producing components is associated with post-mortem aging, with end-point cooking temperature, and with lipid oxidation. Meat is comprised of 76% water, 18.5% protein, 3% fat, 1.5% non-protein nitrogen and 1% minerals, all of which contribute to meat flavour. Thus, meat is nutritionally sound with the protein of meat and meat products being 95-100% digestible, as compared to plant protein that may be as low at 65-75% digestible. However, even though meat is protein rich, little attention is given in the literature to the contribution of meat proteins and peptides to meat flavour. Other than interaction of amino acids and peptides with reducing sugars to form meat flavour notes via Strecker degradation, the importance/impact of meat peptides and amino acids to meat taste has been neglected.

How is Avian Flu transmitted?

Avian flu is transmitted from infected live birds to humans. Human-to-human transmission is highly unlikely. Outbreaks of Avian Flu in poultry have recently been reported in some Asian countries, and some cases human infection has been reported. Hong Kong has an effective surveillance system to check for influenza in birds and humans. The Department of Health has been closely monitoring the situation and has adopted appropriate preventive measures to guard themselves against the disease.

How should I tell the difference between having Avian Flu and SARS?

You cannot differentiate between Avian Flu and SARS by its symptoms alone. Confirmation of diagnosis will depend on laboratory tests on clinical samples from the patient.

How to prevent contracting the disease?

• Avoid touching birds and poultry, especially their droppings, which may carry the Avian Flu virus. If you have been in contact with birds or poultry, immediately wash your hands thoroughly with liquid soap and water.


• If you keep a bird at home, avoid close contact with it. Wear gloves when cleaning its droppings. Wash your hands thoroughly with liquid soap after touching the bird or cleaning its droppings.


• The best protection against influenza is building good body resistance. This can be achieved by a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, good personal hygiene, adequate indoor ventilation and not smoking. Avoid crowded places with poor ventilation.


• If you have flu symptoms, consult a doctor and wear a mask to prevent spreading the disease.

How to stop the spread of E. coli bacteria?

• Wash hands thoroughly and frequently


• Clean and sanitise countertops and utensils after contact with raw meat


• Cook ground meat until it's no longer pink


• Drink only pasteurised milk or cider


• Don't handle food if suffering diarrhoea


• Drink water from a supply known to be safe. If you have a private water supply (well) it should be tested several times a year


• Refrigerate or freeze meat as soon as possible after buying it and then thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter


• When barbecuing or cooking meat such as hamburgers, pork or chicken, the meat should be thoroughly cooked at the centre


• Meat and juices should be brown, not pink or red, check to make sure


• Place cooked meat on clean plates. Don't re-use dishes that have been in contact with raw meat


• Serve cooked meat immediately or keep it hot (60° C or 140° F)


• Anyone known to be infected with E. coli, sometimes referred to as hamburger disease, should not share dishes, cutlery or glasses with anyone else. Their towels, face cloths and bedding should be washed separately in hot water and bleach


• Sources: Health Canada & U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Is ALISLAMI HALAL meat hygienic?

Yes, because the blood is completely drained out of the body in high pressure, as hand slaughtering is done using a sharp knife. This reduces the bacteria content in the body resulting in a more healthy meat, having long shelf life.

Is ALISLMAI chicken fed with natural grains?

Yes, ALISLAMI chickens are raised in the field of 100% natural grain feeds.

Is HALAL slaughtering costlier than Stunned slaughtering?

Yes, it is costlier than the stunned slaughtering procedures, as there are extra slaughter men on the line, reducing the speed of the line carrying chicken, deputation of supervisors in the plant, etc.

Is it safe to eat poultry and eggs?

There is no evidence that Avian Flu can be transmitted through eating poultry. However, make sure poultry and eggs have been thoroughly cooked.

Is there a vaccine against the disease?

At present there is no vaccine for preventing the Avian Flu in humans.

Is treatment available?

Avian flu is generally more severe than ordinary flu, and patients may require hospital care. Some anti-viral drugs may be effective in treating the condition. However, these drugs should be used carefully under a doctor's supervision, as they may cause adverse side effects.

Should we cut out all fats from meat?

No, because some fatty acids are essential, and we need a certain amount of fat in the diet to be able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins. Compared to an average Western diet, a prudent diet would contain a reduced intake of total fat, and, within that, a lower proportion of saturated fat and a higher proportion of mono-and polyunsaturated fats.

What about different types of fat?

Fats in foods or more correctly, their fatty acids, are of three main types, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Saturated fatty acids carry a full quota of hydrogen atoms in their chemical structure. This is the type that increases the amount of cholesterol in the blood and is considered a risk factor in heart disease; animal fats are its main source.

When one pair of hydrogen atoms is missing, the fatty acids are termed monounsaturated. They do not raise blood cholesterol and may even be beneficial. The main sources are olive oil and rapeseed oil (used in some margarines and low fat spreads).

When more than one pair of hydrogen atoms is missing, the fatty acids are termed polyunsaturated. They are predominant in most vegetable oils. Most appear to have no effect on blood cholesterol levels but are useful if they replace saturates in the diet. However, those found in fatty fish and fish oils (termed omega-3 polyunsaturated) are considered to help to lower cholesterol and therefore considered beneficial.

What are the factors affecting the shelf-life of meat and meat products?

Though meat handling, storage and consumption may differ from one place to another, the factors limiting the shelf-life of these products are the same.
There are endogenous factors, such as the pH-value or the degree of acidity of the product law value or the amount of moisture available in the product; and exogenous factors, such as the oxygen (from the air); micro-organisms; temperature; light; evaporation and desiccation.

What are the negative impacts of electric stunning?

Mixing of Dead animals

• Stunning can lead to the death of the animal before slaughtering


• Some of the animals are dead before passing through the stunning area, which cannot be identified later because the bird looks unconscious after stunning

Weakening of Heart

• Less amount of blood is pushed out of the animal's body, due to weakening of the heart after stunning


• The retention of the amount of blood in the bird, approximately 10% would not benefit the customer as it increases the price due to the blood weight

What are the products offered by Emdad?

Emdad offers Frozen and Fresh Chicken, Chicken Parts, Fresh & Frozen Meat Products, Fresh Beef/Veal Products, Cheeses, Cold Cuts, Fresh and Frozen Hot Dogs, Canned Products, Seafood, Beverages and non food products.

What are the Services offered by Emdad?

Emdad offers a variety of products to Food Service Customers such as Star Hotels, Catering Companies, Institutional Customers, Ship Chandlers, Restaurants, Hotels, Butcheries, Off Shore Catering Companies etc.

What are the symptoms?

The initial symptoms of Avian Flu are similar to those of other influenza viruses, including fever, headache, muscle pain, runny nose, cough and sore throat. However, it is more likely to result in high fever, chest infection, respiratory failure, multi-organ failure, and death.

What is Avian Flu?

Avian flu (such as H5N1, H9N2) is a type of influenza A. It was known previously to infect birds only, but 18 human cases caused by the H5N1 strain were documented in Hong Kong in 1997 and another two were documented in 2003.

What is Cross-contamination?

Cross-contamination is the transfer of bacteria from foods (usually raw) to other foods. The bacteria can be transferred directly when one food touches (or drips onto) another, or indirectly, for example from hands, equipment, work surfaces or knives and other utensils. Cross-contamination is one of the major causes of food poisoning.
To prevent cross-contamination:

• Always wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw food


• Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate


• Use different chopping boards/work surfaces for raw food and ready-to-eat food


• Clean knives and other utensils thoroughly after use with raw food


• Store raw meat in sealable containers at the bottom of the fridge, so it can't drip onto other foods

What is Food poisoning?

Food poisoning is an acute illness, which usually occurs within one to 36 hours of eating contaminated or poisonous food. Symptoms normally last from one to seven days and include one or more of the following; abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and fever.

What is Halal and what is Haram?

A list of terminology used by Islamic scholars in reference to Halal and Haram in Islam

Halal: What Allah and the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) have allowed to be done in a lawful manner.

Haram: What Allah and the Prophet have completely and specifically forbidden (i.e. eating food like pork, drinking alcohol, having sexual relations outside of marriage) would lead to punishment in this Life and maybe even in the next life. Makrouh, something that is not liked which is also defined as offensive. Mashbooh is considered questionable or doubtful. Mushtabahat described as the grey area; it is found between Halal and Haram, also defined as questionable. It is based on the Hadith: what is Halal is clear and what is Haram is clear. In between this, people are unsure of things and do not know whether they are Halal or Haram. He who keeps away from them will protect his religion and will be saved. He who approaches them is close to Haram, like a shepherd grazing his flock near Hima (protected grazing land), who could soon enter the forbidden area, and Allah's protected area is what He has declared forbidden.
Makrouh Tahrimi, a category of Makrouh, it is defined as extremely offensive, and close to Haram. Makrouh Tanzihi, another category of Makrouh, is defined as less offensive, but still extremely distasteful. Tayyibat, refers to all things which are made Halal for Muslims. Zabiha, an animal slaughtered (or the process of slaughtering) according to the Islamic method, without which, flesh of a Halal animal is not lawful for the food of a Muslim.

What is the difference between Emdad Food Services and other food service companies in the Country?

Emdad offers value-added products and specialised solutions for the food service industry, while other companies provide just the normal services. Emdad is specialised in meeting any special requirement of the customers’ and focus on Quality, Real Halal and value-added benefits, while others focus on selling their products according to available standards.

What is the laboratory identification for salmonella?

Salmonella can be grown very easily on most microbiological media. Generally the production of non-lactose-fermenting colonies on media containing bile-salts is a strong indication of the presence of Salmonella or Shigella. The ability of most strains to produce H2S is also very useful. Media to selectively enrich Salmonellae have been developed.

What is the percentage of water in ALISLAMI Chicken?

ALISLAMI chicken has the lowest water content; it is between 3-5% inside the chicken resulting in more meat, whereas some other chickens have 15-20% water inside.

What is the reddish liquid in the Fresh Chicken bag?

Many people think the pink liquid in packaged fresh chicken or frozen is blood, but it is mostly water which was absorbed by the chicken during the chilling process. Blood is removed from poultry during slaughter & bleeding process and only a very small amount remains in the muscle tissue. An improperly bled chicken would have cherry red skin and is condemned at the plant.

What measures should schools and nurseries take?

Schools and nurseries should prevent children from coming into contact with birds and their droppings. Educate children not to feed pigeons or other birds. If children have been in contact with birds or poultry, they should wash their hands thoroughly with liquid soap and water.

What precautions should I take when eating poultry and eggs?

Do not eat raw eggs or dip cooked food into any sauce containing raw eggs. Eggs should be cooked until the white and yolk become firm. Poultry should be cooked thoroughly. The centre of the poultry should reach 70 degrees C continuously for at least two minutes during cooking. If there are pinkish juices running from the cooked poultry or the middle part of its bone is still red in colour, the poultry should be cooked again until fully done.

What should I do if I have flu symptoms?

If you have symptoms of influenza, consult a doctor and wear a mask to prevent spreading the disease.

What should I do if I return from a country with an Avian Flu outbreak and develop flu-like symptoms?

If you develop flu-like symptoms after a trip, consult a doctor and tell the doctor where you were.

What should I do when buying live chickens?

When buying live chickens, try not to touch them or their droppings. If you have touched a chicken, wash your hands thoroughly with liquid soap and water.

What should I look for in ingredients when buying packaged food?

Ingredients will educate you about a product's contents, for example most industries use
Gelatin usually of animal origin, mostly from the pig, which is Haram in Islamic foods. If however, it is extracted from a Halal slaughtered animal, then it is alright to use.

Diglyceride: Emulsifier. If it is of animal origin, the source should be verified.
Lard: Fat from the pig, particularly found in the abdominal cavity. It is considered Haram.
Mono Glycerides: Haram, when taken from animal source. Halal when the source is from a plant.
Pepsin: A digestive enzyme mostly from the pig's stomach. It is Haram.
Rennin (Rennet): A protein enzyme (found in most cheeses), mostly it is veal driven, and until known if it is Halal slaughtered, it is Haram.

When should I remove the skin from a chicken - before or after cooking?

Chicken, a healthy meat, it provides a significant amount of protein. A 100-gram portion of roasted chicken breast with skin has 197 calories, 30 grams of protein, 84 milligrams cholesterol and 7.8 grams fat.

To eliminate about half the fat, trim away the skin before eating the meat. It makes little difference in the fat content whether the skin is removed before or after cooking, but the meat is more moist and tender when cooked with the skin on.

When should I wear a mask?

You should wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms, if you are going to a hospital or clinic, or if you are caring for a patient with fever or respiratory symptoms.

Who is susceptible to contracting the disease?

People in close contact with poultry are more susceptible to contracting Avian Flu. The elderly, children and people with chronic illness have a higher risk of developing complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

Why does chicken skin vary from each other?

Chicken skin colour varies from cream-coloured to yellow. Skin colour is a result of:

• Type of feed eaten by the chicken


• Chicken breed and genetics


• Temperature of scalding

It is not a measure of nutritional value
It is not a measure of flavour
It is not a measure of tenderness or fat content