Pork chop worms myth???

martic · 24-11-2011 4:12pm #1

I have to admit firstly that I love pork chops and have been eating them all my life.
Last night I lifted out a packet of pork chops for today's dinner and decided to look up a coke-cola marinade to leave them in for a few hours and to my displeasure I found a video showing pork chops that had been in coke, after 2 hours the maker of the film was removing worms from the chops with a pair of tweezers. Then with further research I found a lot of comments saying it is false and a fake video so I went ahead with my plans. With the video still playing in my mind after 4 hours in the marinade I decided I'd examine the meat and I don't know if its what I thought it was but I pulled a few long skinny things from the middle of the meat that was definitely not there when I started, I examined these and I can only say I'm a bit grossed here.
Is there anyone on here that can shed any light on this and tell me its my mind playing tricks on me as at the minute pork chops could be off my menu for good

the beer revolu · 24-11-2011 4:26pm

I've often seen worms in fresh fish but never in pork chops.

Were these long skinny things wriggling?
If they weren't there before, where could they have come from?

Morag · 24-11-2011 4:26pm

A marinade breaks down the tissue of a meat via a chemical process, that will often lead to parts of it breaking away, esp the connecting sinues.

PaudyW · 24-11-2011 4:40pm

Sharrow wrote: »

A marinade breaks down the tissue of a meat via a chemical process, that will often lead to parts of it breaking away, esp the connecting sinues.

never heard of the worms and coke marinade thing but would safely saw the above is what happened, used to use coke to clean carbs and other engine parts,i try not to drink the stuff at all now,

the beer revolu · 24-11-2011 4:43pm

martic wrote: »

I have to admit firstly that I love pork chops and have been eating them all my life.
Last night I lifted out a packet of pork chops for today's dinner and decided to look up a coke-cola marinade to leave them in for a few hours and to my displeasure I found a video showing pork chops that had been in coke, after 2 hours the maker of the film was removing worms from the chops with a pair of tweezers. Then with further research I found a lot of comments saying it is false and a fake video so I went ahead with my plans. With the video still playing in my mind after 4 hours in the marinade I decided I'd examine the meat and I don't know if its what I thought it was but I pulled a few long skinny things from the middle of the meat that was definitely not there when I started, I examined these and I can only say I'm a bit grossed here.
Is there anyone on here that can shed any light on this and tell me its my mind playing tricks on me as at the minute pork chops could be off my menu for good

There are far more videos debunking this myth than there are claiming it to be true.
Why do people love to believe the sensational ones rather than the others?

martic · 24-11-2011 7:12pm

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2009/maiers_andr/

Just back home and dug in a bit deeper and comparing it to what I found I think this is the culprit, I normally take videos and sites like wiki with a pinch of salt but its only when I found these today that I opted to hear from people on here that might have experience or knowledge with them.
I have more chops in the freezer and will defrost them later and marinate again and if they are present I will take a pic.

The Gnome · 24-11-2011 7:20pm

Trichinella spiralis are only 1.4-3.2mm long, practically invisible to the human eye what you are seeing is, as Sharrow mentioned above, sinews becoming loose due to the acids in the coke breaking down the pork meat.

Bubs99 · 24-11-2011 7:31pm

When I was little, my parents always used to say that if we eat too much sweets or sugar that we'll get worms in our bum! (itchy and irritating) :eek:

I have researched through the years and found that all of us have worms inside us at all times and there are many types, the main one and it's very long is the "tape worm".

It is also VERY important to worm your children and yourself when you get a puppy or kitten or when your pet has worms.

Apparently, worms love pork and sugar so it's best we avoid too much of both. Garlic helps prevent any irritation.

The Hill Billy · 24-11-2011 9:01pm

All I can say is that I've eaten pork cooked medium (ie, pink in the middle) quite often. It depends on the quality of the meat & the skill of the butcher. If you trust both - no big deal. If you don't - cook it to a state that you are comfortable eating it.

As for what you read/see on the internet (including my comments) - remember that it is the internet & not to take it as gospel. Same goes for Old Wives Tales.

Honey-ec · 24-11-2011 9:17pm

Bubs99 wrote: »

When I was little, my parents always used to say that if we eat too much sweets or sugar that we'll get worms in our bum! (itchy and irritating) :eek:

Your parents were trying to scare you. Eating sweets does not cause worms.

Bubs99 wrote: »

I have researched through the years and found that all of us have worms inside us at all times and there are many types, the main one and it's very long is the "tape worm".

No we don't. We all have various fauna on us, true, but not everyone has worms all the time.

Bubs99 wrote: »

It is also VERY important to worm your children and yourself when you get a puppy or kitten or when your pet has worms.

Yes, all dogs and cats should be wormed annually, but it is not necessary to worm "yourself" at the same time.

Bubs99 wrote: »

Apparently, worms love pork and sugar so it's best we avoid too much of both. Garlic helps prevent any irritation.

Sugar does not cause worms. I really can't state it any more simply than that.

kerash · 25-11-2011 2:26am

martic wrote: »

I have to admit firstly that I love pork chops and have been eating them all my life.
Last night I lifted out a packet of pork chops for today's dinner and decided to look up a coke-cola marinade to leave them in for a few hours and to my displeasure I found a video showing pork chops that had been in coke, after 2 hours the maker of the film was removing worms from the chops with a pair of tweezers. Then with further research I found a lot of comments saying it is false and a fake video so I went ahead with my plans. With the video still playing in my mind after 4 hours in the marinade I decided I'd examine the meat and I don't know if its what I thought it was but I pulled a few long skinny things from the middle of the meat that was definitely not there when I started, I examined these and I can only say I'm a bit grossed here.
Is there anyone on here that can shed any light on this and tell me its my mind playing tricks on me as at the minute pork chops could be off my menu for good

It's bs. At the end of the video he picks up a maggot - a maggot is the larva of a fly, you could get maggots if you left out any mean and a fly lays eggs on it depend on the temp how long maggots will from.

Tom Dunne · 25-11-2011 8:58am

Bubs99 wrote: »

When I was little, my parents always used to say that if we eat too much sweets or sugar that we'll get worms in our bum! (itchy and irritating) :eek:

I have researched through the years and found that all of us have worms inside us at all times and there are many types, the main one and it's very long is the "tape worm".

It is also VERY important to worm your children and yourself when you get a puppy or kitten or when your pet has worms.

Apparently, worms love pork and sugar so it's best we avoid too much of both. Garlic helps prevent any irritation.

I'm going to file this one under the "Evidence why I despair for humanity" collection.

rubadub · 25-11-2011 4:43pm

This is in the snopes "cokelore" section

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/porkworm.asp

It has a link to this video, which is calls a spoof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDBAG0KPLcs

gigawatt · 26-11-2011 12:01am

it is possible to get worms from undercooked pork meat. I'm not sure about them hatching out from exposure to coca cola though!

the beer revolu · 26-11-2011 3:35pm

gigawatt wrote: »

it is possible to get worms from undercooked pork meat. I'm not sure about them hatching out from exposure to coca cola though!

Yes, so just to be sure it's best to cook pork until it resembles cardboard rather than meat and has absolutely no moisture left - it's the Irish way:D:D

Animord · 27-11-2011 11:47am

This is where the pork worms story comes from. Fairly common in the past, and this is exactly why you should know that the producer is looking after the animals properly, that they are clean and well cared for.

I understand that it is pretty rare in these days of ultra regulation, and vaccinations etc. I just scanned the Wikipedia article but it seems to be a lot to do with the pigs being fed raw meat themselves. I very much doubt any pork produced in this country is being fed raw meat but I could be wrong.

Try getting pork from a reputable producer of free range and rare breed pigs. You might eat less because it is more expensive, but honestly you will never go back.

I get pork delivered from Old Farm in Co Tipperary, they deliver round the country and also from Gubbeen Smokehouse in Cork both of whom produce excellent pork and ham.

duploelabs · 27-11-2011 3:06pm

The level of animal husbandry and health and safety regulations that exist today means it's nearly impossible for worms to be found in reared pork. Perhaps in the past but not today

sponge_bob · 30-11-2011 9:59pm

i wouldn't worry to much about it tbh. the worms aren't that big and shouldn't eat to much, i would say there will be plenty left there for an ample meal.

Derfil · 01-12-2011 6:00pm

So I gather from this fresh fish, pork and bacon are riddled with worms. I regret looking at this thread now

Honey-ec · 01-12-2011 6:03pm

Derfil wrote: »

So I gather from this fresh fish, pork and bacon are riddled with worms. I regret looking at this thread now

No. Did you actually read the thread???

Derfil · 01-12-2011 6:12pm

Honey-ec wrote: »

No. Did you actually read the thread???

Bit of an exaggeration from me:rolleyes: but there was one comment along the lines of "I've often seen worms in fresh fish" Probably not really accurate either?

Pork chop worms myth???

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