The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. urged (PAMPI) the Department of Agriculture to name the brand of ASF infected hotdog, longganisa, and tocino.
“Very unfair ‘pag walang brand na ime-mention kasi lahat tatamaan. Sa totoo lang hindi kami maka-respond. Wala kaming hawak [na impormasyon],” said PAMPI spokesperson Rex Agarrado.
(It is very unfair that no brand will be mentioned because it will hit everyone. We can’t respond. We do not have any [information].)
The Department of Agriculture confirmed on Thursday that the hotdog, longganisa, and tocino pork products confiscated in Mindoro tested positive for African swine fever virus.
The DA initially declined to say which company or brand of processed meat was infected by ASF but ascertained that it is not a big company.
However, the DA said the company’s meat products must be recalled or removed from the market.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan wanted to ensure that processed meat products will be removed from the market if they are indeed infected with the ASF virus.
“Walang saysay ang ginagawang pagpatay sa mga baboy natin kung meron namang ASF na makakapasok sa ating bayan at mapupunta sa ating mga hapag-kainan,” said Pangilinan.
(It makes no sense to cull our pigs if there is an ASF that can enter our town and go to our dinner tables.)
The Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed ASF cases in Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon City, Cavite, and Nueva Ecija as of today. The DA also culled up 62,000 pigs since the African Swine Fever outbreak started in August.
According to DA’s data, up to 60 percent of the meat Filipinos eat is pork. The Philippines is also the 8th largest pork producer.
Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary and FDA officer-in-charge Eric Domingo confirmed that eating ASF infected processed foods has no effect on humans.
The DA has promised to publicize the brand name and company affected by the ASF once their validation is complete.
Unknown brand of tocino, hotdog, longganisa infected by ASF
The Bureau of Animal Industry confirmed that three processed meat samples (hotdog, longganisa or Filipino-style sausage, and tocino) have ASF viral DNA. A real-time polymerase chain reaction test was used according to the clinical laboratory report dated October 15.
Agriculture group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) claimed the ASF positive meat products were most likely imported, emphasizing that processed meat products do not undergo ASF testing.
“This only proves that we should not trust the claims of processors that the ASF virus can actually be killed once it undergoes heat treatment,” Sinag said.