I must admit, I am a little bit worried about food safety in the Philippines. There was some troublesome news last week that brought this to my mind. Around mid-week last week, it came out that three piggeries in Luzon were found to have Ebola Reston in their pork! It seems like it’s been a while since the Ebola virus was in the news, but I remember back in the 90’s when it was a major concern. It’s been out of the news, though, and when I heard the news, I had to actually stop and think about what Ebola was. It did come back to me, though.
For those who don’t remember, Ebola is a virus that is extremely deadly, although it depends on the strain of Ebola you are talking about. Most Ebola outbreaks were in Africa in the 90’s, and it either has pretty much died out in recent years, or it just hasn’t gotten the news coverage that it once did, I can’t be sure. Ebola Reston is a different strain of the Ebola Virus that is not thought to be deadly to humans, but can be deadly to monkeys. Ebola Reston was originally discovered (and named) when some monkeys were imported to the United States from the Philippines. The monkeys were being housed in Reston, Virginia at Hazelton Laberatories. I believe those monkeys were intended for a medical study. Well, a virus broke out, leading to the death of some of the monkeys. I recall seeing a documentary on TV about this case in the mid-90’s. When this happened, the humans who went into the lab to investigate the event had to wear bio-hazard suits for their safety. It was even thought that the virus may go airborn and be spread that way.
So, last week, the Philippine Department of Agriculture announced that the Ebola Reston virus had been discovered in pork from these three Luzon piggeries. This is scary. As I said previously, the virus is not deadly to humans. However, these types of viruses are always mutating, and a new strain that could come from such a mutation could be harmful to humans, we can’t be sure. All in all, it’s just a good thing not to have any kinds of virus in the food supply. When the news broke, the Secretary of Agriculture and several others made a big photo-op and news conference where they were eating a Lechon Baboy (roasted pig) to show that they had no fears about eating local pork.
This could turn into a disaster for the Philippines economically too. You see, the country had recently decided to try to build an export market for Pork. The first exports of pork were on schedule to be shipped to Singapore last week, but all shipments were halted due to the Ebola discovery. Something like this news could cause any plans to export pork to be halted for a long time. I know that in countries where the mad cow disease occurred, they are still having troubles trying to export beef.
I think that this is an issue that we all need to keep a close eye on. It can affect our personal safety, and also the economic health of a country that we love. I will still eat pork, but I will also keep a close eye on the news to see if this becomes a bigger problem.
Geeezzz didnt know it existed there. Ebola is one of the worst pathogens to
man, it kills 90% of its victims..they literally bleed to death internally and the virus can be passes on by just the sweat of its victims. Also it can stay alive for days after it kills its host. Not a pleasant way to go. Makes ya think about fish for dinner for awhile.
Hi brian – yeah, pretty scary stuff! Actually, it has been known that there was Ebola in the Philippines for nearly 2 decades now. The original monkeys in the Reston lab that were infected with Ebola came from the Philippines. This, however, is the first time that the virus has been found in Pigs.
Hi Bob!I hope the virus doesn't get transmitted to piggeries here in Mindanao. As far as I know, Gensan piggeiies actually supply for Metro Manila consumption. I was not personally scared but yes, like you, would be keeping an eye on it.
Bob: I've always wondered what the real risk to humans is on all of these health scares. For instance, the SARS scare was incredibly damaging to the Asian economies, as was bird flu, but take a moment to look at how many people were directly infected by those viruses: Very, very, few. But the economic price paid was far higher and shared by everyone. I'm not trying to minimize any effects of the disease, especially should I be one unlucky enough to catch it, but it seems that every few months the media needs another health panic to arise in order to get people interested. We just got done with the whole melamine story, and now this. Yes, ebola is scary. No, I don't want to catch it. But with 6 billion people on the planet (I think only around 700 actually caught SARS), your risks of catching Ebola and actually dying are very, very slim.
I gues that if any good comes from all this, then proper sanitation and farming practices will be re-examined. The economic impact to the country is a far greater threat than the actual disease.
Hi Cathy – Yeah, I was thinking the same, that is is doubtful that the problem will reach Mindanao. In general, food stuff travels in the other direction – from Mindanao to the North. Mindanao is the Food Basket of the country! With few (if any) food items such as Pork traveling from Luzon to Mindanao, our pork supply here should be isolated from the virus.
Hi John Miele – I agree, the economic impact on this could be huge! I hope that it can be eradicated quickly, though.
Boy that's a scary one Bob I hope everything goes good over there ..I like baboy ..Phil R.
Hi Phil R. – How are you doing today? Still cold there?
Yeah, I like pork too! I hope that we can avoid the Ebola here in Mindanao.
Hi Bob; for a variety of reasons I haven't eaten red meat for over 20 years. You just gave me another one!
On food safety; just the handling alone would give the heebie geebies to a food safety inspector in a western country. Seeing raw meat hanging in tropical heat, flies buzzing around, an open stinking drain only meters away: could be reason number 1 for a lot of rich westerners to stay away. I know this is normal in most parts of Asia.
You are spot on in your suggestion this is a key issue for export markets.
Hi Chris – Well, as much as I love my meat, you do make a good point, several good points, in fact. Generally, we buy our meat from a meat company which is managed by a Westerner, and I think it is a lot cleaner than you will find from many vendors. I am sure that it still can't really stand up to some other shops in the world, though.
Maayong Buntag Bob
I believe proper cooking will take kill the virus but it still makes you wonder about the BBQ venders and yes it can kill the export industry at a time when the Philippines needs any industry badly. Trying to control the spread of this virus could be a major problem with the large number of small markets selling pigs one or two at a time.
Hi Larry – there is one good thing when it comes to stopping the virus from spreading, and that is that the Philippines is an archipelago that consists of 7,107 islands. It's not easy for the virus to jump from island to island, especially since it would be rare for live pigs to be shipped from Luzon to other places. Most of the inter-island shipping is from outside of Luzon, being shipped into Luzon to support the large population there.
Bob
That is a good point with the islands helping to curb the spread of the virus. Hope it works.
Hi Larry – Unfortunately that is about the only good news! 😯
The scary part is a virus making a genetic jump from birds to humans is difficult for a virus to do, but making the jump from pigs to humans is much easier in terms of a genetic jump for a virus. Could you imagine the world wide impact of something like Ebola making that transition? It would make the spanish flu look like a common cold. Ebola is the proverbial 800 # gorilla of the virus world.
47 raining …..Phil R
Hi Bob
You say you are worried about food safety in the Philippines and it was brought to mind because of the news about Ebola. What about other times? I have traveled by buses here a bit and they always stop at some roadside stand where the food is not kept warm. Also one time I went to the Bayview Hotel in Manila for their buffet breakfast and the food was not kept warm. I guess there are no rules here? Or they are not enforced?
Well I have never got sick in all my visits here knock on wood. 🙂
Hi Brian – Yes, I have heard that pigs and humans have a number of genetic similarities. I hope it won't happen!
Hi Phil – brrrr
Hi Ray – Well, that is true, there are other food worries too. But, ebola really is scary to think about. Like you, I don't recall ever being sick from the food here.
Hi Bob – even though I am not a religious person or for that matter a believer in God, funny enough, I do believe in a persons time in this world is already pre-determined so while I am as common sense careful as the next person I rarely worry or dwell about things such as you write about in this issue or even other danger things. I once went on a dive about 160 feet down and my first stage froze up so I had no air availability from my primary air tank and I had already exhaled my air so I was not going to make it to the surface from this depth. For maybe the 2nd time in my life diving (over 3000 dives) I was carrying a pony bottle (Spare air) and that saved me even though it took me a minute to remember I even had it with me. I have many other similar examples and probably most of can share similar stories about near misses, etc… Frankly, I would be SUSPECT of all foods here. The use of pesticides is uncontrolled and in reality. I just don't want to know what it is I am buying in the grocery store. I smell it and it smells ok I buy it ha ha ha.
Maayong buntag, Bob. Just recently, Ireland, too, had to retrieve ALL types of pork products in all supermarkets in Ireland and the Uk because of cancerous toxins found in their products, processed or raw. A massive concern is gripping Ireland and the UK, apart from millions and millions of lost sales. Supermarkets, butcher shops up and down these two countries are still wondering where the toxin originally came from. They reckon the toxins come from the feeds. Regards!
Let's not also forget the mad cow disease from the US and Canada. It had taken Japan, Korea and Singapore years to import beef again after years of doubtrfrom these affected countries.
Spain, especially the Uk also had years of mad cow disease. During that time of years of mad cow disease, Ireland enjoyed the benefits of fantastic sales for almost ten years. The biggest loser was the UK. Now Ireland is going through
pork woes. A sort of comeuppance, perhaps?
My motto whan eating out…never…EVER get the cook mad at you ….Seriously ..I worry more about the person(s) who handle my food than I do the actual food.
Brian, how right you are! There were some caughtin the act of"sp…..ting on the food before
reaching the client's table. Hehheehe, an old trick of the trade when you get mad
at waiters/waitresses and of course, cooks/chefs. A few hidden cameras were
planted…of course, they got the sack. I do make it a policy not to complain before
the food is laid infront of me Onechat show invited those who would "confess" to what they were up to. One chambermaid said she used a hotel guest's toothbrush to clean the toilet bowl because he was rather unpleasant…too many unpleasant true confessions I daren't listen to…doesn't that make one cringe???
Hi Bob ,
little bit shocked about the ebola virus here in PH. i talked to my cousin ( he is a vet )
he told me that the virus can be killed if the meat is properly cooked! anyways me and my family will just eat sea foods and turkey this holiday season.
BTW GREAT website you have!
-ed
Hi ed canape – Proper cooking is important, I agree. It's also a good idea to keep abreast of the current news.
I work for a veterinary company and I can say that in the Philippines pork meat, if purchased in the supermaket or eaten in a normal restauran, is very safe. The quality standars are quite good. In the wet market also majority of the meat is safe but… cannot always be sure so I do not buy there. The Ebola Reston is a non pathogenic strain of Ebola virus. Nothing to worry about. Regards.