Effect of temperature on the infectivity of Sarcocystis miescheriana cysts in pork.

Sarcocysts of Sarcocystis miescheriana in the thigh muscles of pigs became non-infective to pups after heating infected pork in minute pieces at 60 degrees C for 20 min, 70 degrees C for 15 min and 100 degrees C for 5 min. Similar pieces of infected muscle tissues, when exposed to -4 degrees C for 2 days or -20 degrees C for 1 day, became non-infective to pups. The experiment suggests that pork containing sarcocysts of S. miescheriana, and possibly of S. suihominis, requires cooking at a minimum of 70 degrees C for 15 min or freezing at -4 degrees C for 2 days or -20 degrees C for 1 day for making it safe for consumption.