Is it a big deal if the pork is not cooked thoroughly?

The pork we usually eat must be sterilized at high temperature before it can be eaten. This is not only delicious but also can supplement the protein needed by the body, which is also very beneficial to human health. However, you should not eat too much pork at one time, otherwise it will not only cause indigestion, but also make you fat. It is best not to eat uncooked pork because the uncooked meat contains nematodes that are harmful to the human body.

According to research, eating raw or undercooked pork can lead to infection with Trichinella spiralis, which in turn leads to trichinosis.

The good news is that the incidence of this infectious disease has been greatly reduced compared to before. According to the CDC, cases of trichinosis are becoming less common than they were a few decades ago, likely due to improved pork production regulations. Instead, most current sources of infection are from eating raw or undercooked game, such as wild boar or bear.

"Trichinella infection can cause a range of symptoms, from chronic to fatal," says Nipunie Rajapakse, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic. "The most common symptoms include fever, aches and pains, and nausea. In later stages of the infection, muscle pain and swelling of the face and eyes may also occur."

"Making sure all food is fully cooked is the best way to avoid the disease. While it won't guarantee 100% protection, it will significantly reduce the risk of infection with Trichinella. This is because the parasite is heat-sensitive and can be easily killed by heating."

Trichinosis does not spread from person to person, so the disease can only be caused by eating inadequately processed meat products contaminated with Trichinella spiralis.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has the following recommendations for heating food:

The heating temperature of steak and chops should not be lower than 63 degrees;

Pork patties and pork fillings should not be heated below 71 degrees;

The temperature of heated animal organs (heart, kidney, liver, tongue, intestine) should not be lower than 71 degrees;

In addition, wait at least three minutes after heating before eating or proceeding to the next processing.