China reduces imports of European pork due to Swine fever outbreak.

Recent outbreaks of African swine fever in Europe has prompted China to reduce its import quota of European pork due to the threat of the infection spreading throughout China’s own supply chains.

China contains half the world’s pork-producing pigs so the potential of the virus advancing is considered a high risk.

The virus which is found more so in wild boar than in commercial herds can have a devastating impact on the pork industry. African swine fever is a serious, highly contagious, viral disease of pigs. African swine fever virus (ASFV) can spread very rapidly in pig populations by direct or indirect contact. It can persist for long periods in uncooked pig products, facilitating its introduction into new areas.

This virus can also become endemic in feral or wild suids (hooved animals), and transmission cycles between these animals and Ornithodorids ticks can complicate or even prevent eradication. ASFV isolates vary in virulence from highly pathogenic strains that cause near 100% mortality to low–virulence isolates that can be difficult to diagnose. There is no vaccine or treatment.

With such a large customer of European pork, China’s reduction in pork imports means there is a further risk of the surplus pork being mislabelled and re-distributed into the European market place.

When these events occur, whether it be a Disease outbreak, or contamination within a supply chain the 5 main reasons why mislabelling occur are:

• Food fraud / intentional mislabelling for profit

• Weak quality management systems

• Lack of understanding of the supply chain / buying in bulk off a screen

• Products shipped abroad for processing

• Suppliers using ANY means to meet the tough demands of a contract

Agroisolab recommends conducting origin tests for any pork or pig meat products declared as British. For information concerning origin testing for pork please use the link provided to see our current offers www.agroisolab.com/pork.