The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1916-02-10
BEWARE RAW PORK
Warning Is Issued by Depart.
ment of Agriculture.

Disease May Be Contracted by Eating
the Flesh Of Hogs, In Any Form,
Not Thoroughly Cooked -
Timely Hints.
Washington. D. C.-There ia alwaya
the possibility that illness may follow
the eating of pork that ia raw or not
thoroughly cooked. The danger -
greatest at this season Of the year
when many people prepare for home
consumption various food products
that ara customarily eaten without
cooking, More Of these homemade
products are prepared at hog-klling
time on the farm than at any other
time.
American people as q rule prefer
cooked pork, but there r many who.
perhaps unknowingly, consume pork In
an uncooked condition, either in the
form of raw ham or uncooked sau.
sages. In many localities consider
able amounts of these products are
made up and consumed at home, or
distributed throughout the neighbor
hood. Large quantities OF pork prod.
,ucts intended to be eaten raw are also
prepared commercially.
The disease known as trichinosis.
which may result from eating raw
pork, is caused by certain round
worms, called trichinae. These are
microscopic in size and infest the flesh
of hogs. The prevalence Of trichinae
in hogs is indicated by the fact that
during nine years, 1%s9S.1908, when the
c%arcasses of hogs were inspected mi.
croscopically by federal inspectors. OF
100000 80 inspected, 1.4l
per cent contained living trichinae
and 1.16 per cent contained trichina.
like bodies or d~islntegrating trich.
nae. In other words and in round
numbers. %trichinae were present in I
out of II hogs. and If the presence
Of dead trichinae and trichinalike
bodies ia included, In / out Of every
SO hogs.
Unlike many other Infectious dis.
eases, the severity of an attack OF
trichinosis depends upon the number
Of parasites swallowed. Large guam.
titles of slightly infested pork must
be eaten in order to produce appre.
ciable effects. If severe illness fol-
lows the eating of a small amount OF
the meat. the pork must have been
heavily infested.
To avoid trichinosis, nc fo-n Of pork
In the raw state, including driel o.
smoked sausages and hams, should be
eaten. Ali pork used as food should
be cooked thoroughly. II this is done
the value or wholesomeness of the
meat for food purposes Ia not I'm
paired by the fact that the parasites
were present in It.
According to specialists Of the de-
partment, trichinae die when sub
Jected to 8 temperature of about 140
degrees +. Ali products containing
pork which are prepared to be sold as
cooked products In establishments op
Grating under federal meat inspection
are required to be cooked sufficiently
to insure q temperature high enough
to destroy trichinae throughout ali
portions Of the meat. Likewise, in
order to protect consumers who are
careless or ignorant of the danger OF
raw pork products Of kinds prepared
customarily to be eaten without cook
ing, such as certain kinds of hams
and summer sausages, must be manu-
featured in accordance with methods
which. it has been determined, destroy
the vitality of any trichinae which
may be present In the pork, 1t has
been found by Investigations in the
bureau Of animal industry that II pork
ia subjected to a temperature not
higher than S degrees F. for 20 daya.
the vitality of all trichinae is de-
stroyed. This ia one method Of safe.
guarding pork products that are to be
eaten without cooking. Other methods
followed In establishments operating
under federal meat inspection consist
in curing and drying the products &C;
cording to certain rules which tho
manufacturers are required to follow
Although products that are special,
ly prepared for eating uncooked and
bear the mark of federal inspection,
may be used with safety. the custom,
OF eating raw pork Ia not to be; en1
couraged. In any case it should be
remembered that fresh pork, or ordi.
nary cured pork products. are not
safe as food unless properly cooked.
1t can not be determined with Ger,
tatnty by inspection whether pork is
free from trichinae, and the federal
meat inspection mark does not guar
antee the fitness of pork for food II It
Ia eaten raw.
A practical rule for cooking pork
Ia to cook 1t until It has lost its red
color throughout all portions, or If q
trace Of this color IL still present, at
least until the fluids of the meat have
become mor or less jellied.
CIVIL WAR SHELL EXPL0DEs