UK levy board AHDB Pork has said that cost-saving benefits are “on the cards” for pork processors in the UK, after those exporting to the US no longer need to test pigs for the roundworm trichinella.
Finished pigs that have come from controlled housing, set to be exported to America in frozen form, no longer need to be tested for trichinella – a disease caused by the larvae of the ringworm which affects many species, including humans.
Finished pigs, boars and sows that come to the US from “uncontrolled housing,” in the UK will still need to be tested for trichninella, according to AHDB Pork.
'Big savings'
Emma Bailey-Beech, food safety project manager at AHDB Pork said: “The testing can be very expensive for the larger processors involved in exporting to the USA."
She added: “the Food Standards Agency has publicised this change but some of abattoirs are still not aware of it. This could mean big savings for them.”
Details on the amount UK pork processors are expected to save from the agreement with the USDA remains unclear.
AHDB Pork’s industry communications officer Jon Bullock said pork processors exporting to the US would be unlikely to reveals these details as this information may be “commercially sensitive”.
Savings made by UK processes will only be enjoyed by a small fraction of the market. This is because the “savings only apply to processes who export to America, and this means it’s only the big boys,” said Bullock.
The UK exports around 230,000 tonnes (t) of pork a year. Of this, only 2.1% (or around 5,000t) ends up in the US, according to AHDB Pork data.
A newly approved test for trichinella has been made available that gets rid of the need for pepsin powder or hydrochloric acid, both of which require care when using.
Before new testing is carried out, it is important that standard operation procedures are given to a plant’s official on-site vet, says AHDB Pork.