The consumption of pork traces its origins back to Asia, with its popularity spreading across the Near East and eventually reaching Europe, where Sus scrofa domesticus, the domestic pig, became a culinary staple. Interestingly, the introduction of this valuable animal to the Americas can be credited to Spain, as the first pigs on the continent were brought by Columbus during his second voyage. So, it's safe to say that the journey of pork consumption began in Asia, made its way through Europe, and crossed the Atlantic Ocean thanks to Columbus and Spanish explorers, marking a significant chapter in the history of pork consumption on the American continent.