Purefoods says its products are ASF-free

Purefoods guaranteed on Friday that all its products are free of the African Swine Fever virus, on the heels of reports that some processed meat samples in the country have tested positive of ASF.

“The pork ingredients in Purefoods products come from farms that are strictly supervised by San Miguel Foods and observe the highest level of biosecurity measures while the imported materials come from ASF-free countries,” San Miguel Foods said in a statement.

"All local pork ingredients in Purefoods processed meats are tested for ASF prior to use,” it emphasized.

All harmful organisms have been eliminated in the production process because its chilled products such as hotdogs, hams, and canned products are cooked in high temperatures.

Information leaked from the Bureau of Animal Industry on Thursday fueled another ASF scare in the country.

A document from the bureau’s Veterinary Laboratory Division showed some samples of hotdogs, tocino, and longganisa have tested positive of the ASF virus. The products were confiscated from Calapan, Mindoro.

The Department of Agriculture refused to name the manufacturers of the compromised pork products, saying that further tests are must be conducted for more conclusive results.

Though experts reiterate that pork is safe to eat and ASF is non-transferable to humans, the public at large have been urged not to include leftover processed meats in swine feeds so as not to further spread the disease. —Dona Magsino/VDS, GMA News