Summary
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.