Is Pink Pork Safe to Eat?
Good news: Pork doesn’t need to be well done in order to be safe to eat!
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
Q. I was at a dinner party over the holidays and the host served a pork loin that was pink in the center. I was taught that pork isn’t safe to eat unless it is white in color. I didn’t want to offend my hosts but I couldn’t bring myself to eat it. No one else seemed concerned. Are my worries unfounded?
Answer. Your concerns are not completely unfounded — but they are a bit out of date.
For decades, home cooks were instructed to cook pork to an internal temperature of 1600 F in order to kill parasites that could cause trichinosis infection. At this temperature, pork is not only bone-white in color but often bone-dry as well.
Just a couple of years ago, however, the USDA officially acknowledged what many intrepid eaters has known for years: Pork is perfectly safe — and far more succulent — when cooked to 1450 F. These new guidelines for pork are similar to those for beef, veal, and lamb.
Although it may take a little getting used to, you don’t need to worry about eating pork that’s a bit pink –and once you discover how tender and juicy it is when it’s not cooked to death, you’ll never look back.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.