‘Healthy Markets’ promotes safe visits to markets

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) are

partnering with Long Cheng and Concord live animal markets in South St. Paul to launch “Healthy

Markets,” an educational effort to promote healthy behaviors at the markets. “Healthy Markets” will

focus on safe food handling and safe animal contact.

“As we enter into the holiday season, and families come to the live animal markets to prepare for their

holiday meals, consumers need to be reminded of simple things they can do to have a healthy

experience,” said Mary Choi, MDH Healthy Markets coordinator.

For many communities, obtaining meat and poultry directly from a live animal market is an important

cultural tradition, but the handling of raw meat and close contact with live animals also pose certain

health risks, state health officials said. “We want to encourage simple things customers can do at the

markets to protect themselves and their family members’ health,” Choi said.

During this effort, people who frequent the markets will see flyers and posters at the markets and in their

communities promoting safe food handling and safe animal contact. Also, radio ads on local community

stations will carry the messages. In addition, MDH staff will also be at both markets distributing

information about ways to handle food safely. Some of these methods include washing hands with soap

and water before and after touching raw meat and poultry, carrying market purchases home in

appropriate containers such as clean coolers and plastic bags, and keeping raw meat and poultry in the

refrigerator until it is ready to be cooked.

MDH staff will also be distributing flyers to patrons about safe animal contact. The flyers will remind

patrons to wash their hands after touching the animals, to avoid eating and drinking at the markets, and

that those at high risk for serious complications from influenza should avoid entering the area where the

animals are kept. MDH volunteers at the markets will also be surveying customers to learn more about

their activities while at the market in order to find other things that could be done to reduce the passing

of illness between animals and people.

-