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Diners, shoppers not letting ‘swine’ flu affect pork consumption

Fresh cuts of pork at Johnnie's Fresh Meat Market Tuesday, April 28, 2009 in Charleston, W.Va. The current swine flu crisis has depressed pork prices in the U.S.

Associated Press photo by Jeff Gentner Fresh cuts of pork at Johnnie's Fresh Meat Market Tuesday, April 28, 2009 in Charleston, W.Va. The current swine flu crisis has depressed pork prices in the U.S.

Kevin Crowder, a butcher at the Foodland store, cuts pork Tuesday, April 28, 2009 in Charleston, W.Va. Crowder said customers haven't steered away from buying pork and haven't asked about whether pork products are safe.

Associated Press photo by Jeff Gentner Kevin Crowder, a butcher at the Foodland store, cuts pork Tuesday, April 28, 2009 in Charleston, W.Va. Crowder said customers haven't steered away from buying pork and haven't asked about whether pork products are safe.

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By Mark Fisher, Staff Writer 6:03 PM Thursday, April 30, 2009

El Meson co-owner Bill Castro acknowledges that his servers aren’t going out of their way to highlight pork dishes or the cuisine of Mexico in their opening remarks to diners at his West Carrollton restaurant.

“But that doesn’t mean we’re backing away from serving pork,” Castro said. “We are celebrating Cinco de Mayo on Tuesday, and we’ll have a pork special on the buffet.”

Several organizations — from the Centers for Disease Control to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Ohio Pork Producers Council — have declared that people cannot get the “swine flu” by eating pork. The current swine flu outbreak passes from person to person through sneezing and coughing, CDC officials said.

The initial reports that pork is safe to eat as long as it is cooked properly “can be confusing,” said Julie Shertzer, registered dietitian and program specialist for Ohio State University Extension program. “It almost sounds as if you could contract swine flu if you eat pork that’s improperly cooked — and that is absolutely not correct.

“Viruses that cause influenza, including swine flu, are airborne, not food-borne. You can’t get the flu from eating pork, barbecue chicken, green beans or anything else — unless someone who has the flu sneezes on your plate before you dig in. But that’s not a pork problem. That’s a people problem.”

So far, customers seem to be getting the message that pork is safe, said Jack Gridley, meat and seafood manager for Dorothy Lane Markets.

“We have seen no negative impact on pork sales,” Gridley said. “We have had maybe two customers ask questions about it.”

Gridley printed off several copies of a USDA “Frequently Asked Questions” document to help DLM’s butcher shop employees help customers.

The National Restaurant Association has set up a web page devoted to the swine flu that links to latest developments and offering “resources for restaurateurs.”

The scare has already spawned one potential telephone scam in LaPorte County, Ind., in which a caller told a restaurant employee that the business was required to purchase a “swine flu kit” at a cost of $398. The caller claimed the kit was mandated by the Department of Homeland Security and could be purchased through his company. There is no such requirement.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2258 or mfisher@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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