Trichinella Spp Research Paper

Trichinellosis is a parasitic disease caused by Trichinella spp., a species of intestinal nematodes that reside as encysted larvae in muscle tissue and are released upon human digestion of infected raw or undercooked meat (Gottstein and others 2009). Domestic pigs are the primary source of infection for this pathogen making uncooked pork products, such as raw-fermented sausages, at risk for containing Trichinella spp. (Gottstein and others 2009). The symptoms of this disease include: facial swelling, diarrhea, headaches, weakness, fever, and if left untreated it can be fatal (CDC 2012). Since this represents a hazard to human health, pork that is received at a meat processing plant must be treated for Trichinella spp. before use or as a finished product. This can be accomplished by heating (cooking) or freezing either the raw materials or finished product at certain temperatures, which ensures …show more content…
At Piller's Fine Foods, the pork used for raw-fermented sausages is treated using freezing method # 3 outlined in Annex B of Chapter 4 - Meat Processing Controls and Procedures (CFIA 2013). This method involves continuously monitoring the temperature at the centre of the thickest piece of pork in the warmest location of the freezer (CFIA 2013). This method provides different options for the minimum amount of time that the internal temperature must be at to ensure Trichinella spp. destruction, regardless of product thickness (CFIA). For example, for destruction of Trichinella spp., pork must be held at -35.00°C for a minimum of 8 hours (CFIA 2013). Due to safety procedures put in place across the world, cases of trichinellosis are very uncommon. Although contracting trichinellosis has become very unlikely, it is important to follow regulations to ensure that this low risk status is