Even Properly Cooked Pork May Carry Traces Of Salmonella And Listeria

One of the first things you learn about cooking meat is to ensure it is cooked thoroughly. With certain types of meat, the variances in how well it's cooked can depend on the person who is eating it. But there are some forms of meat that need to be cooked thoroughly and well done every single time. This is in order to prevent the spread of bacteria that can be incredibly harmful to your body. If you or someone you know eats leftover pork chops, that were not originally cooked until well done, you'll want to keep reading.

A recent study showed that cooking pork at an acceptable temperature does not eliminate pathogens completely. This means that when the meat is stored, the pathogens that have not been properly killed, can multiply and potentially become hazardous to consumers.

Listeria And Salmonella

The study found that only pork chops that have been cooked until they are well done in a static oven completely kill off pathogens such as Listeria and salmonella. Although cooking pork at other levels, such as medium or rare, does satisfy certain requirements of the meats temperature, once it was tested again, a few surviving cells were found that can then easily multiply while meat is stored.

Even if there is a good amount of information available regarding how to cook meat and for how long, certain types of dishes can slip through the cracks, even with how notable and understood salmonella is. In 2014 alone, more than 57 percent outbreaks took place in the kitchen, with 13 percent coming from the inadequate heat treatment of meat.

The study, which was conducted in Bologna, Italy, took and tested over 150 packs of loin chop. The samples were contaminated with cells of both Listeria and salmonella, in order to access how much of the pathogens were eliminated during the cooking process.

Meat was divided into groups and cooked at varying temperatures. The only cooking variation that was able to completely kill and eliminate the bacteria was well done in the oven. There were differences within and related to the levels of cooking and cooking procedure.

Pork Preparation

A lead professor at the University of Bologna, Alessandra De Cesare, Ph.D., states: The results of this study can be combined with dose response models and included in guidelines for consumers on practices to be followed to manage cooking of pork meat at home. It's important to understand that not all meat is created equal in that they aren't all susceptible to the same bacteria and levels of exposure depending on the type of animal it comes from.

Fish and beef act very differently than pork and chicken do when they aren't cooked well done. With so many food fads - and people experimenting with the way they cook - it's imperative to realize that not all food can be consumed, or should be consumed, when cooked in varying manners. A good example of this is international travel and how some cooked delicacies are completely fine for those whose stomachs are used to that type of preparation. For those who are not, becoming sick is often the result.

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Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.