25 February 2026, AMIE
Red Meat is Safe to Consume
Amidst the ongoing Foot-and-Mouth Disease crisis in South Africa, consumers are worried about the safety of red meat.
Please note that FMD is not an illness that can jump from animal to human (zoonosis). Red meat is safe to consume.
The reason why animals are quarantined and not slaughtered while testing positive is to prevent further spreading and infection of more animals. Producers must submit a health certificate to abattoirs to confirm that their animals are virus-free before slaughter. This is not only a FMD protocol, but an animal health protocol.
