isn't it funny how swine flu stopped many from eating swine?

[Chuck]

Not that it makes any difference since you don't catch flu by eating the meat.

World Health Org. (WHO) disagrees:

Meat from pigs infected with the new H1N1 virus shouldn’t be used for human consumption, the World Health Organisation cautioned on Wednesday, adding it was drawing up guidelines to protect workers handling pigs.

...

The WHO ... said it was possible for flu viruses to survive the freezing process and be present in thawed meat, as well as in blood.

“Meat from sick pigs or pigs found dead should not be processed or used for human consumption under any circumstances,” Jorgen Schlundt, director of WHO’s Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases.

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-08-uncomfortable-facts-flu/

 

[glo]

I checked out the information on the actual WHO website, which is probably a more reliable source ...

The information given seems slightly contradictory.
On the one hand saying that flu viruses are not known to be transmissable through eating pork, and that viruses in any case would not survive safe cooking procedures; on the other hand (probably to be on the safe side) instructing authorities that known infected pork should not be used for human consumption.

ADVICE TO CONSUMERS
In the on-going spread of Influenza A/H1N1, concerns about the possibility of this virus being
found in pigs and the safety of pork and pork products has been raised.
Influenza viruses are not known to be transmissible to people through eating processed pork or
other food products derived from pigs.
Heat treatments commonly used in cooking meat (e.g. 70 °C/160 °F core temperature) will
readily inactivate any viruses potentially present in raw meat products.
Pork and pork products, handled in accordance with good hygienic practices recommended by
the WHO, FAO, Codex Alimentarius Commission and the OIE, will not be a source of infection.
Authorities and consumers should ensure that meat from sick pigs or pigs found dead are not
processed or used for human consumption under any circumstances.
For further information, please refer to the INFOSAN information note on this issue
(http://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/infosan_archives/en).

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/No_02_influenza_Apr09_en_rev1.pdf

 

[Yanal]

^ yeah thats what the opposite is what other people are thinking,they should not be literal in naming.

 

[Chuck]

I checked out the information on the actual WHO website, which is probably a more reliable source ...

The information given seems slightly contradictory.
On the one hand saying that flu viruses are not known to be transmissable through eating pork, and that viruses in any case would not survive safe cooking procedures; on the other hand (probably to be on the safe side) instructing authorities that known infected pork should not be used for human consumption.


http://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/No_02_influenza_Apr09_en_rev1.pdf

It is not contradictory, but they have to word it in a language that pork industry can't sue them.

There are 2 important points:
(1) There is no known case of transfer;
(2) But, it doesn't mean it won't happen. Potentially it can happen which they are warning against since virus can be in the blood of pork. It can infect people working with live animal or raw pork meat at the producer or if it is raw pork in the market it can infect whoever comes in contact with it.