Experts Support Pork Safety

Consumer Reports released a study last week that stated pork is unsafe to eat because of low levels of “bad bacteria” found in 198 test samples. Does this mean we should avoid pork? In response to safety concerns over the study, the USDA was quick to point out that the low levels of common pathogens found by the Consumer Reports study actually showed that “pork processors are meeting federal food safety requirements, and that the findings reported in the article affirm that companies are meeting the established guidelines for protecting the public’s health”. A number of other food safety experts agreed with the USDA’s response, and went a step further in stating that a test sampling of less than 200 was too small for any definitive decision. They also emphasized that pork is safe to consume, and that common sense precautions in the handling of raw pork products, such as cooking pork sufficiently and using good hand washing technique after handling raw meat, will go a long way in helping consumers avoid exposure to food borne pathogens. So enjoy your pork, beef, lamb, chicken - just remember wash your hands, sanitize utensils, and cook meat well. Did I mention, wash your hands?