Parasites associated with pork and pork products

Three parasites pose a public health risk from the ingestion of raw or undercooked pork, namely: Trichinella spiralis, Taenia solium and Toxoplasma gondii. Inspection procedures, when practised according to prescribed methods, are effective in eliminating the majority of risks from T. spiralis and T. solium. No suitable methods for the post-slaughter detection of T. gondii are available. All three parasites are inactivated by various methods of cooking, freezing and curing; some information is also available on inactivation by irradiation. Good production practices, including a high level of sanitation, rodent and cat control on farms, can prevent opportunities for exposure of pigs to these parasites. Alternatively, meat inspection, proper commercial processing and adherence to guidelines for in-home preparation of meat are effective methods for reduction of risks for human exposure.