Pork safe to eat despite WHO warning: Ritz

[daleo]

Canada's agriculture minister says pork remains safe to eat despite a warning by the World Health Organization that the swine flu virus might survive freezing and could be in the thawed meat and blood of infected pigs.

"Canadian pork is safe. There is no danger. Bottom line: Canadian pork is safe," Gerry Ritz said Wednesday after serving up pork sandwiches to MPs and government workers at a luncheon on Parliament Hill.

Earlier in the day, however, the director of WHO's Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases told Reuters the blood of pigs infected with a swine subtype of H1N1 might contain the virus.

Jorgen Schlundt cautioned against eating meat from sick and dead pigs infected with the swine flu since the virus might survive the freezing process and be present in thawed meat and blood.
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What becomes of infected pigs on an Alberta farm remains uncertain.
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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/06/pork-eat-who060.html
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Maybe the Chinese had a valid point. Alberta's former premier was Ralph Klein, of "shoot, shovel, and shut up" fame, in regards to mad cow disease. It wouldn't surprise me if the current government's instinct wasn't also to protect the food industry over the population.