The 3 dirtiest parts of a pig should have been blacklisted long ago! Many people still consider them delicious!

Pig's trotter

Pork elbow, pork head, etc.

It is loved by the public, but my friends

Know what parts of a pig are

Is it inedible?

For those who love meat, "You can live without vegetables for a day, but you can't live without meat for a day." Pork, as one of the most common meats, is a must-have dish on many people's tables. However, with the change of dietary concepts, many people have begun to pay attention to health issues.

There are many comments online, such as pig brains contain high cholesterol, pig livers contain high levels of heavy metals, and pork with a stamp cannot be eaten. So are these statements true?

Today we will study:

Which parts of a pig cannot be eaten?

Is the talk about pork true?

What should you pay attention to when buying pork?

The 3 dirtiest parts of a pig

Liu Jingjing, a doctoral student in food biotechnology at China Agricultural University, pointed out that the meat from three parts of the pig is inedible, namely the adrenal glands, thyroid glands and lymph nodes .

1. "Little Kidney" - Adrenal Gland

The adrenal glands are located in the upper front of the pig's kidneys, commonly known as "kidneys". Ingestion of adrenal meat may cause acute poisoning . The clinical manifestations include dizziness, head swelling, nausea, palpitations, general weakness, stomach pain and diarrhea.

2. “Chestnut meat” – thyroid gland

The thyroid gland is located in the front and lower part of the pig's trachea and larynx, commonly known as "chestnut meat". After accidentally eating meat containing thyroid gland, symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, headache, tinnitus, irritability, sweating, nausea, anorexia, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea may occur.

3. "Huazi meat" - lymph nodes

The pig's lymph nodes are grayish white or light yellow lump-like and are distributed throughout the pig's body. They are commonly known as pig meat.

Lymph nodes are usually the most obvious place where pig lesions metastasize . They contain a large number of pathogens and the toxins they produce, and those who accidentally ingest them are prone to infectious diseases.

About Pork

1. Does pig brain have high cholesterol?

Pig brain has a tender and smooth taste and is loved by many people. However, will eating too much lead to excessive cholesterol? Ruan Guangfeng, director of the Science and Technology Department of the Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center, said:

The cholesterol content in pig brain is indeed relatively high , with a cholesterol content of up to 2571 mg/100 g, while fresh squid only has about 230 mg/100 g.

However, you don’t need to worry too much about the cholesterol in food. The latest international research has found that the impact of cholesterol in food on cardiovascular disease is not as great as everyone thinks. Therefore, it is okay to eat some pig brains normally, such as 2 to 3 times a month, about one or two taels each time .

2. Does pig liver contain a lot of heavy metals?

On weekdays, most people are afraid of heavy metals when they think of pig liver? Ruan Guangfeng said that there are indeed more heavy metal residues in pig liver and other animal livers .

Pork liver is the largest detoxifier and poison transfer station in the pig body. Toxic and harmful substances that enter the body, such as heavy metals, are metabolized, transformed, detoxified and excreted in the liver.

When liver function declines or toxic and harmful substances are ingested in large quantities, these harmful substances will accumulate in the liver. However, a "relatively high" level of heavy metals does not necessarily mean that it exceeds the standard .

Generally speaking, pork liver purchased from a regular store is safe to eat. Moreover, pork liver contains iron, vitamins, etc., which are beneficial to health. Eating it in moderation is good for your health.

3. Can’t eat pork with a stamp?

Sometimes when you buy pork, you will see various stamps on the meat, such as blue, red, round, rectangular, etc. Some people say that "the parts with stamps cannot be eaten". Is this true?

Article 10 of the "Regulations on Swine Slaughter Management" clearly requires that pigs slaughtered in designated pig slaughterhouses must be inspected and approved by animal health supervision agencies in accordance with the law and be accompanied by a quarantine certificate.

The Management Regulations also stipulate that in addition to passing quarantine, pork must also undergo quality inspection. Pork that passes the inspection must be stamped with a meat quality inspection pass stamp or accompanied by a meat quality inspection pass mark .

In other words, only pork that has passed quarantine can be stamped with the quarantine inspection seal; unqualified products need to be handled in accordance with relevant procedures and will not enter the market.

Therefore, the "stamp" is a kind of certification for pork, and this stamp is made of edible pigments and will not cause harm to the body .

There is also a saying that the color of the seal can determine the quality of the pork, and only pork with a round seal is qualified?

Generally, the seal that the health permit department stamps on the slaughtered pigs is blue-green, but some places also use seals of different colors. The blue seal and the red seal are only different in color, and the pork is the same in nature, and both are qualified pork. Therefore, the color of the seal has nothing to do with the quality of the pork .

The relevant national regulations only require stamping, but do not make unified regulations on the form of the stamp itself . The seals used in the early days were round, and later more convenient and practical long roller seals and needle-punched seals were introduced. The specific form of stamping is determined by the competent authorities in various places.

Therefore, as long as the pork has a stamp that meets the requirements, it is qualified, and it does not necessarily have to be round.

Several types of pork that you should not buy

1. Dull

The glossiness of the pork surface is an important indicator for determining whether it is fresh. Stale pork is gray or dark red, and the cross-section is also dark gray or dark brown. The fat part of the epidermis is dirty and light green.

Fresh pork is light red or light pink, and the fat on the surface is shiny white .

2. It feels sticky

A large number of microorganisms will breed during the spoilage process of pork. The metabolites produced by the microorganisms will cause the surface to become sticky, so feeling sticky is a sign that the pork has gone bad.

The surface of fresh pork should be slightly dry or moist, the cut surface will be a little damp, and it will feel oily but not sticky .

3. No elasticity when pressed

If pork is stored for too long, the protein and fat in it will gradually decompose, thus destroying the muscle fibers, which will cause the surface of the pork to lose elasticity. If the pork is injected with water, the elasticity will also deteriorate.

Fresh pork has a firm and elastic texture, and will immediately return to its original shape when pressed with your fingers .

4. The fat layer is too thin

In addition to being abnormally bright in color, pork containing clenbuterol also has a thin layer of subcutaneous fat, usually less than 1 cm, and relatively loose muscle fibers. Consumers should be cautious when purchasing this type of meat.

The thickness of pork fat is related to the breed and part of the pig. Generally speaking, the pork fat of ordinary breeds is thicker, while the pork fat of hybrid breeds is thinner.

5. Unclear source

If the pork is of unknown origin or has not been inspected, it is likely to be rice pork (sick pork containing parasites), which poses a threat to human health.

When buying pork, be sure to ask the store owner whether the pork sold has the relevant qualifications, including the inspection stamp, quarantine stamp, inspection certificate and quarantine certificate , etc. If none of them are available, you should pay attention.