Health Hazard in Piraeus Meat Market?

Yesterday I bought some pork steak meat from Piraeus Fish & Meat Market, near the station.

When I told this to Hubby, he complained I should not have done, as the hygiene level of the Market isn't up to standard.

I ignored him, as he is slightly too nervous about the food hygiene. But then, TV news bulletin said that one of the butcher shop in the Market was closed down by the authority as a health hazard; they found cockroaches etc in the shop.

So, this morning, under the instruction of Hubby, I went to check if the shop in question was the one I had bought the meat from. I did spot a shop with the shutter down, just next to my shop (yesterday's butcher recognised me and said "Hi").

We were saved.

I had two observations about this incident.

1) As it is a semi-open market, it should be really difficult to remove all the roaches.

2) One butcher shop closed down for hygiene problem and it becomes national news; what sort of interest is this?

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By the way, the pork steaks were very very nice: soft, moist and flavoursome. Probably I will buy from him again (without telling Hubby).


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P.S. on 3 Feb. 2009.

Then I found this article on the English Ekathemerini website

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100014_03/02/2009_104358

According to statistics, the Greek consumers are among the most suspicious in Europe about the goods they buy in shops.

Both Hubby and Hubby's Mom are very very weary of the quality and hygiene standard of the food they buy from shops, sometimes to a paranoiac degree in my eyes. Mom wash always fruits with soap (even fruits like oranges that we don't eat skin anyway) and tells me not to buy cheese only from supermarkets as supermarkets keep better eye on hygiene.

She once threw away one whole chocolate cake a frend had just brought to her because she has just seen a tv programme denouncing some cake makers re-using chocolate products.

I thought she was particular, but evidently this kind of fear is wide-spread among the Greeks. I will verify by myself if their fear is reasonable.