The Department of Health yesterday assured that processed meat products are safe for consumption after various products recently tested positive for African Swine Fever.
Health Undersecretary and Food and Drug Administration officer-in-charge Rolando Enrique Domingo reiterated that ASF is not a threat to human health.
“Basta kinain ng tao wala pong problema at wala pong dapat ikatakot na kumain ng produktong ito, dahil sa kalusugan ng tao, wala po talaga siyang epekto,” said Domingo.
“Ito po ay completely safe. Wala po siyang epekto sa kalusagan ng tao, it is safe for human consumption. Sa human health, wala po siyang threat ito pong virus na ito, naapektuhan lang po nito ay mga baboy,” he added.
The Bureau of Animal Industry clinical laboratory report had earlier bared that some meat products, including hotdog, “longganisa” (pork sausage), and “tocino” (bacon or salted pork) have been detected with ASF.
Domingo said that he wanted to see the official report of BAI to determine the “virus fragment” that they have detected.
“Gusto ko pong malaman kung ano ‘yung tinest nila baka hilaw na karne ito or slightly processed food lamang, para dapat kasi mabigyan natin ng characterization, kung ano ‘yung nakita nating virus fragment,” the FDA official said.
The World Organization for Animal Health described ASF as a severe and highly contagious viral disease among domestic and wild pigs.
Pigs infected with the ASF virus experience high fever, depression, loss of appetite, redness of ears, abdomen, and legs, vomiting, and diarrhea that may lead to death. (Analou de Vera)
