Evaluation of Microwave Cooking Procedures and Ovens for Devitalizing Trichinae in Pork Roasts

Pork roasts from pigs experimentally infected with Trichinella spiralis were cooked in five microwave ovens. Twenty-nine procedures, generally recommended by the oven manufacturers or pork interest groups, were used. Infective trichinae were present after cooking in 50 of 189 roasts. Factors affecting infectivity included procedure used, use or nonuse of post-cooking standing or temperature holding, weight of roast, and internal temperatures attained. Five visually well done roasts contained infective trichinae including one in which all five temperatures taken exceeded 76.7°C. One other infective roast, with a small red spot, also had all temperatures at or above the 76.7°C level. Recommendations are made to minimize the potential that trichinae may survive in microwaved-cooked pork.