Released April 30, 2009
BROOKINGS, S.D. -- People cannot get the H1N1 flu virus from eating pork or pork products, a South Dakota State University specialist said.
South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service Meats Specialist Keith Underwood said that although the current H1N1 flu outbreak has been called swine flu, the outbreak is due to human-to-human transmission, not swine-to-human transmission. Scientists don’t know if the virus in its current form can infect pigs.
“There is no evidence at this time that the virus is in swine or that touching uncooked pork could infect someone with the virus. Scientific evidence has shown that pork carcasses, meat, and other pork products present a negligible risk for transmission of the swine flu,” Underwood said. “The flu virus is generally contained to the lungs of animals and the muscle of the animal has never been shown to contain the swine flu virus.”
Underwood said even though there’s no connection between pork and swine flu, it’s important to follow good food safety practices.
“Eating pork and pork products that have been properly handled and cooked is safe. Swine flu is not transmitted through eating pork or pork products,” he said. “Cooking pork as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit will kill swine flu, pathogenic bacteria, and other viruses.”
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http://agbionews.sdstate.edu/story.cfm?id=4707
Contacts: Keith Underwood, (605) 688-5439
Lance Nixon, (605) 688-4653, Lance.Nixon@sdstate.edu
