Why Consumption of Carrion is Dangerous? This is the Explanation of a UM Surabaya Lecturer

• 08 Jul
• 2023

ANTARA FOTO/Adiwinata Solihin

Why Consumption of Carrion is Dangerous? This is the Explanation of a UM Surabaya Lecturer

• Article
• By Uswah Sahal
• Health
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A few days ago, there were a lot of incidents where several residents died as a result of consuming beef that had become carrion. It was reported that the beef that was consumed, the cow died due to infection with anthrax.

UM Surabaya Faculty of Health Sciences (FIK) lecturer Firman explained, anthrax is a zoonotic bacterial disease, which is transmitted from animals to humans or vice versa, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. One of the signs of anthrax infection is black blisters on the skin.

"When pets such as cows are exposed to bacteria, fungi or an infectious disease, and when the cow dies, it doesn't mean that the disease in the cow also dies, in fact when the meat is consumed, the disease can be transmitted to our bodies," Firman said Saturday. (8/7/23)

Firman said, beef is a very important source of protein for the body, but if beef is obtained from cows that have died not because of slaughter, for example died due to illness, or for no apparent reason, then the meat is called carrion, and eating carrion is very unhealthy. permissible and dangerous.

According to him, an animal that dies not because it was slaughtered, causes the blood not to come out, then the blood will clot to fill the bloodstream and muscles in the animal, as a result the blood can become a medium for the growth of microorganisms which can be harmful when the meat is consumed.

Unlike when animals that are still alive are slaughtered, the blood will come out perfectly, because the heart that pumps blood is still functioning properly. But when it dies and becomes a carcass, even though it is slaughtered, the blood cannot come out completely because the heart has stopped.

"This is where microbes (bacteria, germs, fungi and viruses) develop very quickly, that's why carcasses will decompose quickly, and of course you can imagine what will happen if the meat that has become a carcass is consumed," Firman added.

A research result explained that the microbes found in fresh chicken, by slaughtering, were 3.3 x 105 /CFU. Whereas in chickens that had become carcasses, microbes were found to reach 8.9 x 107 /CFU. It can be seen from the two that the difference in the number of microbes is very large.

"Therefore, animals that die not because of slaughter, we can be sure that they contain a lot of microbes. And if consumed, not only can we be infected with the same disease as those experienced by these animals, but our bodies can also experience other diseases," he said.

Firman emphasized that the Extraordinary Events (KLB) that befell the people of Gunungkidul must be of concern to all parties, especially the ordinary people who live in rural areas, so that they can learn from what has happened, due to their lack of knowledge, and also because the culture of the people does not prohibit it.