How to Keep Your Eid Al-Adha Meat Safe Amid Morocco’s Heat Wave

Marrakech – Millions of Moroccan families are marking Eid Al-Adha, known locally as Eid Al-Kebir, the most anticipated religious celebration on the national calendar and the one day of the year when virtually every household in the country performs the same ritual at the same time.

The festival centers on the ritual sacrifice of sheep, a tradition that brings households together across the country. But with temperatures soaring this year, how can citizens ensure the meat they consume remains safe and free from contamination?

The National Food Safety Office (ONSSA) has issued a comprehensive set of guidelines to help families navigate every stage of the process, from purchasing the animal to storing the final cuts. The recommendations, also stressed in a series of posts and videos on the office’s social media accounts, cover hygiene, inspection, conservation, and waste management.

The first step begins at the point of sale. ONSSA urges citizens to buy their sheep exclusively from authorized and registered vendors monitored by provincial veterinary services. A healthy animal should appear active and alert, with clear eyes and a clean muzzle.

Any signs of coughing, diarrhea, or abnormal abdominal swelling should raise immediate concern. The office also reminds buyers to keep the animal’s identification tag after purchase, as it serves as its sanitary tracecard.

Once home, the sheep must be placed in a shaded, ventilated, and secure area away from children and air currents. It should be fed only dry fodder such as hay or dried alfalfa.

Feeding must stop 12 hours before the sacrifice, with only fresh water left available. This fasting period facilitates the skinning process and ensures the intestines are empty, reducing the risk of bacterial contamination during evisceration.

On the day of the sacrifice, cleanliness is non-negotiable. The slaughter site, tools, and the person performing the act must all be thoroughly clean. ONSSA strictly prohibits blowing air into the carcass by mouth to ease skinning, a traditional practice that accelerates microbial growth.

Read also: The Many Lives of Eid al-Adha, From Morocco to South Asia

The animal should not be fully restrained during the act, allowing movement for proper bleeding. Wool must be carefully separated from the meat, and the bladder, rectum, and internal organs must be removed immediately. The carcass should not be washed with large amounts of water, as this also promotes bacterial proliferation.

After the sacrifice, a careful inspection of the organs is essential. Healthy meat presents a pinkish color. Citizens should examine the liver for parasites, commonly known locally as “boufertoto,” and the lungs for small gray spots.

If lesions are minor and localized, the affected part should be cut away and discarded without piercing any cysts. If the infection appears widespread, the entire organ must be removed and isolated.

For conservation, the carcass should hang in a cool, clean, and ventilated space for approximately five hours to dry. Meat intended for near-term consumption must then go into the refrigerator at no more than 3°C, where it can last up to three days. The heart and kidneys should not exceed two days refrigerated or four months frozen. The liver keeps for up to three days.

Remaining portions should be cut into small pieces and stored in the freezer at -18°C or below. Overloading the freezer must be avoided to allow proper cold circulation.

On the environmental front, ONSSA calls on families to place all waste and unusable organs in sealed bags until municipal collection services pass. Animal hides should be salted with approximately two kilograms of kitchen salt to prevent decomposition. The slaughter area and all tools must be washed and disinfected.

The office confirmed that more than 500 veterinarians and technicians are deployed before, during, and after the holiday to assist citizens. Their contact lists are available on the ONSSA website at www.onssa.gov.ma.