Which legislation was instrumental in reducing the amount of trichinellosis in humans?

• A. Swine Health Protection Act
• B. Food Safety Modernization Act
• C. Federal Meat Inspection Act
• D. Animal Welfare Act

Answer: (A)

Trichinellosis in humans is most strongly linked to eating undercooked pork from pigs that harbor Trichinella. Cutting off the parasite at its source—inside the pig feed—greatly reduces human risk. The Swine Health Protection Act directly targets this by prohibiting feeding swine garbage containing meat or meat products unless it has been properly processed to destroy pathogens. By preventing this type of contaminated feed, the chance that pigs become infected and that infected meat enters the food supply drops, leading to fewer human cases.

Other laws under the meat safety umbrella regulate different parts of the system. The Food Safety Modernization Act focuses on preventing contamination throughout the broader food pipeline but isn’t specifically aimed at pig-feeding practices that spread Trichinella. The Federal Meat Inspection Act ensures inspection and safety of meat products, and the Animal Welfare Act addresses animal care and welfare, not the parasite transmission pathway responsible for trichinellosis.