Even though pST causes pigs to produce leaner meat, consumers may question its safety. The growth hormone pST is a normal component of a pig's body, just as human somatotropin or growth hormone is a part of our bodies. Research evidence shows that somatotropins are very specific. Porcine somatotropin is active only in pigs and not in humans, cattle, etc. Since it is a protein, pST is digested and made inactive when it is eaten.
Cooking also destroys pST's ability to function biologically.
Visitors to the 1989 and 1990 Iowa Pork Congresses who participated in a taste test indicated a significant preference for meat from pST-treated pigs. However, the families preferred the tenderness of the roasts from untreated pigs. The financial advantages and disadvantages of using pST are not yet known. The cost of pST and the cost of injecting it into pigs are undetermined. The pork producer who uses pST must feed pigs a more expensive diet that is higher in protein, but the improved gain and feed efficiency may result in greater profits.