Canadian pork is safe to eat

May 8, 2009 in Food Safety, Nutrition Topics in the News

Canadian pork is safe to eat

Canadian health officials maintain pork is safe to eat despite comments from the World Health Organization (WHO) that the swine flu virus (H1NI) could survive in the thawed meat and blood of infected pigs.

On May 6, 2009, the WHO's director of food safety said meat from pigs infected with the H1N1 influenza A virus shouldn't be used for human consumption because the blood of pigs infected with the H1N1 flu virus might survive the freezing process.

"Meat from sick pigs or pigs found dead should not be processed or used for human consumption under any circumstances," says one health official.

However, there's no risk of swine flu from consumption of properly prepared, salvaged and cooked pork and pork products.

Swine flu, which is believed to have originated in Mexico, has spread to Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere, with 1,893 cases confirmed worldwide.

In Canada, 201 cases have been confirmed in eight provinces. Recently, 13 new confirmed cases were reported in Ontario, eight in B.C., six in Quebec and five in Nova Scotia.

For more information on swine flu and pork consumption in Canada, visit the Canadian Public Health Agency.

 

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