Post by Editor on Apr 29, 2009 15:03:56 GMT -5
Pork Safe To Eat, Says Government Officials
SPRINGFIELD, IL, April 28, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to reiterate to a public concerned about a hybrid influenza outbreak that pork is safe to eat.
According to scientists at USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food so you cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe.
USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack also recently reassured the public that there is no evidence at this time showing that swine have been infected with this virus.
The CDC has reiterated that eating pork is not a cause for concern in contracting the hybrid influenza that originated in Mexico and has infected people in the United States and several other countries.
At a recent White House briefing, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano also confirmed that there are no food safety issues related to the current flu virus.
The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board also are assuring domestic and global consumers about the safety of pork and are urging pork producers to tighten their existing biosecurity protocols to protect their pigs from the virus, including restricting public access to barns.
“We want to assure consumers that we are doing everything we can to ensure the health of our pigs,” said Phil Borgic, a pork producer from Nokomis and current IPPA President. “Pork producers are committed to producing a high quality, nutritious protein source for people in this country and around the world.”
In a related matter, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recently named the virus that has been identified in those infected the “North American” flu. According to a Reuters story, the OIE said the flu virus spreading around the world should not be called “swine flu” because it also contains avian and human components and no pig yet has been infected with it.
For more information, visit www.ilpork.com, www.pork.org, or www.cdc.gov/swineflu.
SPRINGFIELD, IL, April 28, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to reiterate to a public concerned about a hybrid influenza outbreak that pork is safe to eat.
According to scientists at USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food so you cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe.
USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack also recently reassured the public that there is no evidence at this time showing that swine have been infected with this virus.
The CDC has reiterated that eating pork is not a cause for concern in contracting the hybrid influenza that originated in Mexico and has infected people in the United States and several other countries.
At a recent White House briefing, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano also confirmed that there are no food safety issues related to the current flu virus.
The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board also are assuring domestic and global consumers about the safety of pork and are urging pork producers to tighten their existing biosecurity protocols to protect their pigs from the virus, including restricting public access to barns.
“We want to assure consumers that we are doing everything we can to ensure the health of our pigs,” said Phil Borgic, a pork producer from Nokomis and current IPPA President. “Pork producers are committed to producing a high quality, nutritious protein source for people in this country and around the world.”
In a related matter, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recently named the virus that has been identified in those infected the “North American” flu. According to a Reuters story, the OIE said the flu virus spreading around the world should not be called “swine flu” because it also contains avian and human components and no pig yet has been infected with it.
For more information, visit www.ilpork.com, www.pork.org, or www.cdc.gov/swineflu.