ASF-infected hotdog, tocino, longganisa made by Central Luzon meat processor —DA

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday revealed the processed meat products which tested positive of African Swine Fever (ASF) came from a medium-scale processor in Central Luzon.

Agriculture spokesperson Noel Reyes said the meat products were seized as hand-carried baggage of a passenger in the Calapan, Mindoro port by the provincial quarantine personnel, National Meat Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Animal Industry.

“... Few items of tocino, hotdog and other meat products. Kokonti lang, siguro pang home consumption, pang baon,” Reyes noted.

According to the apprehended person, “nabili sa Central Luzon” ang processed meat products, the Agriculture department said.

A copy of the clinical laboratory report from the Animal Industry bureau’s Veterinary Laboratory Division was leaked to the media showing that three meat samples were contaminated with the ASF virus.

The processed meat samples—hotdog, longganisa, and tocino—came from a sender with the address 262-C Teresa St., Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The name of the owner and its address as well as the name of the sender of samples, however, were obscured with an orange marker.

Reyes did not divulge the brand name, beyond saying it “shows that ‘yung mga pork products ay galing sa mga ASF-affected areas sa Luzon na naibenta, na processed ng medium scale enterprises.”

“Nangyayari ito dahil ‘yung mga backyard hog raisers itinago mismo ang kanilang mga baboy na ayaw ipapatay within the one kilometer ground zero. Siguro they found na naipagbili sa mga traders na binili naman. Itong mga traders naman, ipinakatay sa mga hindi accredited NMIS slaughterhouses at ito ay naiproseso sa tocino, longganisa, hotdog...” he said.

The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. earlier said the ASF virus cannot thrive in processed meat products since these are cooked at temperatures ranging from 70 degrees Celsius to 116 degrees Celsius for 40 to 60 minutes.

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has said that the ASF virus is highly resistant to low temperatures, but can be “inactivated” by heat treatment at 56°C for 70 minutes or 60°C for 20 minutes.

“According to technical people, ‘yung virus ay namamatay kung nasa-subject sa 70 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes ... kaya nga dapat ma-ascertain ‘yung batch na ‘yun,” Reyes said.

“Ano ‘yung brand? Hindi natin masasabi. Malalaman natin in few days kung sino ‘yung na-apprehend na manufacturer. Ang NMIS and FDA na ang magsasabi. From our end, wala pa po akong natatanggap na clearance para magsabi,” he said.

Association spokesperson Rex Agarrado told GMA News Online that the manufacturer is not a member of the association but “it is a reputable medium-sized company.”

He declined to identify brand and its manufacturer. —VDS, GMA News