At a glance
- Cook meat to safe temperatures to kill Trichinella.
- Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked meat.
- Do not feed uncooked meat or scraps to animals.
Overview
Cooking meat to safe internal temperatures is the best way to avoid many foodborne diseases, including trichinellosis. Different kinds of meat have different safe temperatures. Inserting a food thermometer into the meat you're cooking will tell you if it has reached the safe temperature. Do not sample meat until it is fully cooked.
Dos and don'ts
Some common ways of handling meat may or may not kill Trichinella worms and help stop trichinellosis' spread:
- Curing (salting), drying, smoking, or microwaving meat alone does not consistently kill the worms.
- Freezing pork less than 6 inches thick for 20 days at 5°F (-15°C) will kill any worms.
- Freezing wild game meats may not effectively kill all worms because some worms that infect wild game are freeze-resistant.
- Cleaning meat grinders thoroughly after each use helps prevent the spread of trichinellosis and other foodborne diseases.
Risk factors
Eating raw or undercooked meat contaminated with Trichinella worms will put you at risk for trichinellosis. Meat at risk for contamination includes undercooked pork or wild game, in particular, bear, wild boar, wildcat, fox, wolf, seal, or walrus.
Animal impact
To help prevent Trichinella infection in animals, do not allow pigs to eat uncooked meat, scraps, or carcasses of any animals, including rats, which may be infected with Trichinella.
More on: Safe Food Handling