The appearance of several cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in a specific area of ​​Catalonia This has raised concerns in the pork sector and among some of the population. Given this situation, the Consumers and Users Organization (OCU) has sought to clarify key questions: eat pork or wild boar, as well as sausages and other derivatives, is safe for people.
The consumer organization emphasizes that There is no reason to stop buying or consuming pork products In Spain, health controls, biosecurity measures on farms, and European surveillance mean that the risk to human health is nonexistent, although there could be economic consequences for the sector if the virus were to reach pig farms.
African swine fever is not contagious to humans.
According to the OCU, the African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease exclusive to domestic pigs and wild boars.It causes high mortality in these animals, but it is not a zoonosisThat is, it is not transmitted to humans under any circumstances.
This implies that Neither direct contact with an infected animal nor the consumption of its meat or derived products They represent a route of infection for people. The OCU emphasizes that even in the hypothetical scenario of consuming meat or sausages from a sick pig or wild boarHuman health would not be endangered.
Experts insist that the virus is adapted to swine and It does not have the capacity to infect the human populationThe real focus of concern lies in animal health and the consequences that an uncontrolled outbreak could have for farms and the pig-related economy.
It is worth remembering that, despite the alarm that the terms "plague" or "outbreak" may generate, This is not a disease similar to those that affect peopleneither at the level of transmission nor in terms of effects on human health.
The meat and sausages sold in Spain are safe
The OCU emphasizes that the Pork and wild boar products that arrive in supermarkets, butcher shops and delicatessens come from legal channels subject to strict health controlsThis continuous monitoring allows for the detection of any anomalies in the production chain.
Therefore, the organization describes it as "highly unlikely" that meat or sausages from sick animals will reach the marketEven so, he insists that, even in such an extreme case, there would be no risk to consumers, because the virus does not affect them.
Veterinary inspection systems, both on farms and in slaughterhouses and processing centers, ensure that The meat that is put up for sale complies with the food safety requirements of European regulationsFurthermore, Spain has extensive experience in controlling this swine disease.
The OCU takes advantage of this episode to remind everyone that, beyond the PPA, the usual hygiene recommendations in the kitchen (handle food with clean utensils, cook the meat to the appropriate temperature(keeping it cold, etc.) remain the best way to prevent other foodborne infections.
A problem that is primarily economic for the pig sector.
Where there can be serious consequences is in the economic and commercial sphereThe OCU and the authorities point out that the real concern lies in what could happen if the virus were to reach some pig farm, something that is currently considered unlikely thanks to the implemented biosecurity measures.
Spain is the leading producer of pork in the European Union and the third largest in the worldwith more than 4,9 million tons annually. Pork represents around 14% of national agricultural productionTherefore, any trade restrictions would have a direct impact on the sector.
At the worst-case scenarioIf African swine fever were to reach commercial farms, measures could be imposed limitations on the export of meat and meat products from the affected areas. This would force the allocation of products currently sold abroad to the domestic market.
An oversupply within the country could lead to a Drop in pork prices in Spain, in a context where prices were already being described as "contained" by consumer organizations and by the sector itself.
Catalonia and the importance of pork in Spain and Europe
Recent cases of ASF have been detected in wild boars in a restricted area of ​​the province of BarcelonaSpanish authorities have already communicated these findings to the European Commission and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), immediately reinforcing control measures on the ground.
Activities such as the following have been prohibited in the affected area: hunting to prevent the displacement of wild boars and the search for dead or sick animals has been intensified. Specialized teams, including personnel from the Military Emergency Unit and police forces, work on safe capture and decontamination tasks, supported by night vision drones.
Visits to pig farms within the surveillance area have not detected, so far, symptoms or lesions compatible with the disease in farm pigsEven so, a high level of alert is maintained and biosecurity has been reinforced on farms to minimize any risk of introducing the virus.
The situation is of particular concern because Catalonia is one of the major centers of European pork production.with millions of registered animals and a very significant production volume. In this region alone, pork represents a substantial part of agri-food exports, with a significant share of sales to EU countries and third countries such as China and Japan.
Spain already eradicated African swine fever in the 90s
One of the messages that the OCU repeats is that Spain managed to eradicate African swine fever in 1995This follows the implementation of a very strict, internationally recognized national program. This precedent demonstrates that the country has the experience and protocols to deal with the disease.
Despite that eradication, ASF It is still present in several countries in eastern and southern Europewhere outbreaks are periodically detected, especially among wild boar. For this reason, the European Union maintains a system of permanent surveillance which obliges all member states to take extreme precautions.
Among the measures being implemented, the following stand out: strict separation between domestic pigs and wild animalsBiosecurity on farms (access control, vehicle cleaning, waste management, etc.) and surveillance over any material that may contain traces of infected meatfrom animal feed to food waste that could reach farm animals.
European authorities have even sent emergency veterinary teams to support Spain in assessing the actions taken in the affected area, as well as to recommend additional adjustments to contain the outbreak in wildlife as soon as possible.
Information from the OCU (Spanish Consumers' Organization), Spanish authorities, and European bodies all point to the same message: The pork and wild boar meat available on the market remains safe for consumersMeanwhile, the focus of concern is on protecting farms and ensuring the stability of a sector that is key to the national and European economy.