No need to panic over suspected ASF case; pork remains safe: TFDA

Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) on Wednesday urged the public "not to panic" following a suspected case of African swine fever (ASF) reported in Taichung, saying strict checks are in place to ensure the safety of pork products on sale in Taiwan.

● Taiwan reports first suspected outbreak of African swine fever

● Taiwan imposes disease controls amid suspected ASF outbreak

Veterinarians are stationed at all slaughterhouses across Taiwan to inspect every pig before and after slaughter, and only meat that passes inspection can leave the facility, the TFDA said in a news statement.

It has long been standard practice in Taiwan to have veterinarians inspect every pig before and after slaughter. A 2000 article by the then-Council of Agriculture (the predecessor to the Ministry of Agriculture) said trained veterinarians would be stationed at licensed slaughterhouses nationwide to conduct sanitary inspections.

"Every slaughtered pig must undergo inspection before and after slaughter, and any carcass or viscera that fails inspection shall be discarded and destroyed to prevent it from entering the market," the article read.

The agency advised consumers not to eat meat of unknown origin and to purchase only pork that complies with regulations and has a clear, traceable source to ensure food safety.

"ASF is not a zoonotic disease and does not infect humans. Please do not panic," the TFDA added.

The agency's statement came after the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced earlier in the day that pigs on a farm in Wuqi District, Taichung, central Taiwan, tested positive for the nucleic acid of the ASF virus Tuesday, marking the first suspected domestic outbreak of the infectious disease in Taiwan.

According to a September report by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), 68 countries and territories have reported ASF since 2022. Taiwan could become the 69th, pending confirmation tests currently being conducted by the MOA.

Reminding the food industry of existing penalties, the TFDA said operators who deliberately use meat from pigs that died of disease can be fined between NT$60,000 (US$1,951) and NT$200 million under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.

In serious cases, violators may also face suspension or revocation of business registration, with a one-year ban on re-application, the agency added.

To prevent illegally sourced pork from entering the food supply chain, the TFDA said it continues to instruct local health bureaus to inspect market vendors and verify source documents for meat products, such as slaughter certificates and import declarations.

Citing data from the WOAH, the TFDA said the ASF virus is heat-sensitive and can be inactivated by heating to 56 degrees Celsius for 70 minutes, 60 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, or immediately at 70 degrees Celsius.