With African Swine Fever (ASF) remaining in the news cycle, it’s only natural to feel some anxiety about the spread of the disease. Thankfully, it’s been known for a while that ASF poses no health risk to humans. Even local health-based websites such as Mediko.ph reiterate that this is a disease that is deadly only for pigs.
However, people who want to be doubly sure can further keep themselves and their families safe by avoiding some common pork-based food during an outbreak. Here are just some of the most common types of food that can be affected by ASF:
Barbecued Pork
In this category, we’ll be including all of the popular variants, ranging from the lechon served in major celebrations to the ubiquitous pork skewers grilled out in the open. However, these shouldn’t be the only types of barbecue you’ll want to avoid. With Korean barbecue places also springing up all over the country, you might also want to avoid eating samgyupsal if you want to totally avoid ASF-laden pork.
Pork-Based Sausages
As you may have already heard in recent news, a major processed food brand’s products recently tested positive for the ASF virus. This highlights how fast the disease can spread among pigs and affect the meat processing industry. In particular, the brand’s affected products included their packaged longganisa and hotdogs. As a result, you may want to put these food items on top of the list of food to avoid during an ASF outbreak.
Siopao
Since siopao is both tasty and convenient to eat, it’s become one of the most common snacks throughout the country. However, it’s also one of many types of food that might be affected by ASF. After all, the two most popular flavors of siopao, asado and bola-bola, prominently feature pork. So unless you’re going for other pork-free flavors, then you might also want to avoid eating siopao.
Siomai
Yet another one of the most popular food items throughout the country, siomai is enjoyed by many as either a snack or as a part of a full meal. Unfortunately, most types of siomai are also made with ground pork. This means that it’s also one of the many food items that can be affected by ASF—and one that you might want to stay away froms.
Pork Sisig
The next time you go drinking with friends, you might want to reconsider ordering a plate of sizzling pork sisig. With one of its key ingredients being meat from pigs’ ears, jowls, and bellies, it can undoubtedly be subject to contamination during an ASF outbreak. Thankfully, you can go with other common alternatives such as chicken and bangus sisig if you’re looking to satisfy your craving.
At this point, it’s best to reiterate that there is currently no evidence that African Swine Fever can affect humans. However, it spreads very quickly and is extremely lethal for pigs. As a result, it poses an undeniable danger to the supply chains of various businesses in the fields of agriculture and food processing. Still, those who feel anxious and want to stay absolutely safe during an ASF outbreak can avoid the above types of food for peace of mind.
