Mutton and lamb flaps — the end piece of an animal’s rib cut off in processing to get to the high-quality ribs and spare ribs are seldom sold in New Zealand.
They contain up to 50 per cent fat and are the main ingredient of doner kebabs.
In 2000, Fiji banned the import from New Zealand, saying they were playing a leading role in rising obesity.
And despite the 15-year ban, mutton flaps is still being sold on the market and consumed at an alarming rate.
Mutton flaps, the underbelly of sheep which is known to be under the alias of mutton carcase is still circulating throughout the country depositing long-term NCDs for citizens of Fiji.
“The law for mutton flaps was done way back but we can’t stop people from buying it. It’s the choice of the people,” national adviser for non communicable diseases Dr Isimeli Tukana said.
The fatty pieces are being imported from New Zealand.
The demand is high with one prominent Suva butcher’s shop rep admitting that the mutton flaps are bought as soon as they hit the freezers.
Dr Tukana as earlier reported in The Fiji Times said the best strategy was for the Health Ministry to advise the public on the risks of continuous consumption of mutton flaps which gradually increases the risk of heart diseases, stroke, asthma or other forms of NCDs.
According to a health official, the Health Ministry was responsible for enforcing the ban on mutton flaps.
In municipalities, health inspectors are responsible for investigating the sale of banned products and report it to the food unit.
According to Dr Tukana, one of the challenges the ministry faced was trying to lower the cost of healthy foods and increase the cost of unhealthy foods, so that consumers were able to afford a healthy meal and sustain a healthy diet.
The Ministry of Health will launch the settings approach where it will approach communities, settlements, faith-based organisations, municipalities, schools, work stations and sporting bodies to inform them about the negative aspects of animal fat and to switch to vegetable fat instead.
The first settings approach is on May 20 where leaders of 40 faith-based organisations would be invited to learn about “Animal Fat vs Vegetable Fat”.
