MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday allayed public fears anew on consumption of pork products tainted with African swine fever (ASF).
Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said people who might have eaten pork tainted with ASF have nothing to worry about.
“It is completely safe. It has no effect on human health. It is safe for human consumption,” Domingo said. “Those threatened by (ASF) are only hogs, and not humans. ASF has no health hazards to humans.”
The health official gave the assurance following reports that several processed meat products have tested positive for ASF.
But Domingo, who also serves as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief, still advised the public to always look for processed pork meat products with Certificate of Product Registration (CPR).
He said products with CPR are definitely safe for human consumption because these and the factories where they came from were inspected by the FDA.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) had previously confirmed that samples of hotdog, longganisa and tocino have been detected with the ASF viral DNA.
Domingo said they have not seen the BAI report, but he said the FDA will look into the details of the laboratory findings.
“We want to know the specifics of the testing made, such as if they tested raw meat or slightly processed food only. Because meat processing, especially in high temperature, is supposed to kill viruses,” he added.
Details of the findings are necessary to determine what the real findings on this virus fragment were, according to Domingo.
DILG order remains
As this developed, the order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to local government units to allow the distribution of processed meat will remain for now even if some products tested positive for ASF, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said yesterday.
Año said he and Agriculture Secretary William Dar agreed that the DILG memorandum circular to local chief executives allowing the distribution and sale of processed meat that contain pork will stay until further notice.
Año added that the directive contains measures to prevent products with ASF from reaching consumers.
“There are conditions and requirements that should be complied with before transporting and selling of processed meat products are allowed,” he said in a text message.
A clinical laboratory report from the BAI confirmed that three samples have tested positive for ASF.
To address the problem, Año said they would impose stricter measures on processed meat contaminated with the virus. These include intensified checkpoints and quarantine measures.
“This will ensure that all requirements and conditions are met on movement, transport and selling of processed meat products,” he added.
Año had earlier said meat that does not have pork as raw material such as corned beef, beef hotdogs, chicken nuggets, chicken hotdogs and similar items should be allowed unrestricted movement and distribution in all provinces.
Under DILG guidelines, meat products containing pork should be heat-treated or fully cooked according to internationally accepted standards adopted by the Philippine Association of Meat Processors.
Recall pushed
Meanwhile, the government is looking at recalling processed meat products of a Pampanga-based manufacturer after testing positive for ASF.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it would recommend to the FDA the recall of some processed meat products of a certain brand.
“The FDA has the authority to reprimand the manufacturer. We assume the NMIS (National Meat Inspection Service) will do that in the interest of protecting, managing and controlling this ASF episode,” agriculture spokesman Noel Reyes told reporters yesterday. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Louise Maureen Simeon, Sheila Crisostomo, Eva Visperas