Trichinosis?

[RevZiLLa]

I read a few years ago that deep freezing pork for a long time after processing has eliminated Trichinosis risk.

A friend is butchering some pork and making sausage. Should I freeze it for a while to be safe?

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/gen_info/faqs.html

• Curing (salting), drying, smoking, or microwaving meat alone does not consistently kill infective worms; homemade jerky and sausage were the cause of many cases of trichinellosis reported to CDC in recent years.
• Freeze pork less than 6 inches thick for 20 days at 5°F (-15°C) to kill any worms.
• Freezing wild game meats, unlike freezing pork products, may not effectively kill all worms because some worm species that infect wild game animals are freeze-resistant.
• Clean meat grinders thoroughly after each use.

 

[donmiller]

If you cook it to the FDA specified 'safe' temperature of 160F, no worries. Usually people will cook sausage well done as a matter of course.

Some people will cook tenderloins a little under (150-155F), but the risk of Trichinosis is still quite low now.

 

[Pitbull]

Well, no matter what, if you get it above 165 F when cooking there are no worries. Don't believe it matters whether it's before or after freezing. When making sausage, you bring it up to about 150 while smoking, so it will have to be hotter when doing the final cook or smoke. Tricihinosis has pretty well been eradicated in the states. But, we are now getting meats from Mexico. Not sure if we're getting pork from Mexico though. Seem to remember reading somewhere the Government is not allowing Mexican pork importation.

 

[NRA4Life]

The USDA temperature guidelines for pork is 145 F for whole cuts and 160 F for ground pork.

 

[MatthewC]

I think that Trichinosis has been eradicated from domestic swine but very common in wild pigs.

 

[Pitbull]

The USDA temperature guidelines for pork is 145 F for whole cuts and 160 F for ground pork.

That's what I take my pork loins to..

 

[HookedOnQ]

I could be wrong but I seem to remember reading somewhere that the chance of trichinosis in the u.s is pretty much 0% now days. Rather it is or not as long as you take the meat to a safe temp you should be fine