Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 17) — San Miguel Foods, Inc. on Tuesday assured that its pork meat and products are safe to eat and are free from African Swine Fever (ASF).
“We believe that our properly inspected, certified, and ASF-free pork products, whether fresh, processed, refrigerated, or canned, should be allowed entry throughout the country for our consumers to enjoy,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.
San Miguel Foods issued the statement in light of the spread of ASF in the country and as some provinces have banned the entry of live and processed pork products from parts of Luzon. Authorities are stepping up efforts to contain the outbreak of the hog disease.
While the virus does not pose any risk to humans, San Miguel noted that it follows “the strictest animal health and bio-security protocols.”
The conglomerate sells fresh meat under the Monterey brand and processed meats under Purefoods.
“Its chilled, frozen, and processed pork are produced from company-controlled hog breeding, growing, slaughtering, and manufacturing facilities. Its refrigerated and canned meats are cooked with heat above 70 degrees, thereby destroying harmful viruses, including ASF,” San Miguel noted.
It added that all its pigs are fed with sanitized feeds, and that hog farms are away from breeding animals to avoid the spread of any disease.
“We currently test for African Swine Fever using polymerase chain reaction and have not detected positive reactors in any of our farms nationwide,” San Miguel said.
The company said it complies with government standards. The government, through the National Meat Inspection Service, constantly monitors its products and inspects hogs for any disease before the slaughter.
