Pork processors exporting to the USA look set for “cost savings” following an agreement with the US department of agriculture (USDA) regarding trichinella testing, according to AHDB Pork.
“Finished pigs from controlled housing destined to be exported to the US frozen, no longer need to be tested for trichinella,” said AHDB Pork, “although finished pigs from ‘uncontrolled’ housing, together with boars and sows still need to be tested.”
Testing can be very expensive for larger processors involved in exporting to the USA, added AHDB Pork’s food safety project manager, Emma Bailey-Beech (pictured above).
“The Food Standards Agency has publicised this change but some of abattoirs are still not aware of it and this could mean big savings for them.”
She also said that some abattoirs may choose to continue testing, however, in order to develop outlets for the “more profitable” fresh chilled pigmeat sector in the USA.