EFSA rules out H1N1 risk to humans from meat
The report provides further confirmation that there is no foodborne risk to humans from meat, said Clitravi, the liaison organisation for European meat processors. The opinion from the region’s most prominent food safety body echoes similar verdicts reached by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Study
The report, carried out for EFSA by the University of Ghent, Belgium, said the infection of swine and turkeys with H1N1 virus had raised questions about the possibility that food or food products from these animals could pose a risk of foodborne infection in humans.
The researchers stated it has been repeatedly shown repeatedly that nH1N1 infection in pigs only involved the respiratory tract and there was no dissemination to other organs or muscles - and that the virus does not colonize meat. It added that low titre virus contamination of pork or pork products by respiratory excretions at slaughter or at processing could not be excluded.
But after evaluating the different requirements for a H1N1 virus infecting food-producing animals to cause a foodborne infection in humans – the scientist concluded the virus would not be able to overcome a number of hurdles to prevent human infection, including their susceptibility to acid, pH and bile salts and a lack of evidence that the human gastro intestinal tract could serve as a point of entry.
“So, nH1N1 virus if and when ingested with contaminated food products, particularly when present at low titres or when the food is eaten raw, is highly likely to become inactivated prior to arrival in the intestines,” said the EFSA report.
It added that influenza viruses cannot easily withstand physical and chemical agents. Heating at 70°C and thus moderate cooking inactivates the viruses within seconds, even when it is embedded in meat products or in by-products.
Processing Equipment
Most disinfectants used for cleansing equipment that is possibly contaminated with influenza virus during food processing, easily destroy these viruses, as do the common lipid solvents, which act on the lipoprotein outer envelope of the virion, said the study.
EFSA said that after weighing up all these factors the report concluded: “Pork or pork products or turkey meat possibly contaminated with nH1N1influenza virus are not a foodborne threat.”
Clitravi secretary general Dirk Dobbelaere told FoodProductionDaily.com: “This report is an endorsement of the conclusions reached by FAO and OIE. We welcome it as it provides even more assurance that there is no risk to humans of H1N1 infection from meat.”
