Trichinosis and Sausage

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   On another discussion board, the issue of trichinosis risk in sausage came up. In case you aren't aware, trichinosis is a rather nasty parasite found in pork and some other meats from carnivorous and omnivorous animals. Unlike other food pathogens, trichinosis will not be killed by using a curing agent. Deep-freezing meat can kill some forms of trichinosis, but there are some things about that to be aware of.
The best way to eliminate the threat of trichinosis is to thoroughly cook meat that is at risk for trichinosis contamination. Most commonly, this meat includes pork (domestic and wild), bear, walrus and other animals that are carnivores or omnivores. 

MarkR and I hashed through some information and issues where there was some lack of clarity on this issue, and working together I think we've come up with some good, solid guidelines here regarding trichinosis safety:

a) Trichinosis is not killed by curing, but by cooking to a safe temperature; in some cases, deep-freezing for a safe length of time will eliminate the threat of trichinosis.

b) Deep freezing is ineffective for wild/game animals (other than pork) that are at risk for trichinosis; deep freezing can be effective for pork (domestic and wild), but there are variables to be aware of, according to the CDC:

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/trichinellosis/prevent.html

c) Fresh sausage made with ground pork, wild boar or any other trichinosis-potential meat should be cooked to 160 degrees.

d) Whole cuts of pork are "safely-cooked" at 145 degrees, according to the USDA:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/fresh-pork-from-farm-to-table/CT_Index

e) The curing process effectively puts sausage on the same level as whole cuts where pathogens are concerned (excluding trichinosis, which needs to be cooked or frozen as mentioned above).

f) Cured meats are "safely cooked" at 145 degrees, according to the USDA:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/ham-and-food-safety/ct_index

g) Since meat with a potential for trichinosis still needs to be cooked before it is rendered safe to eat, cured sausages should be cooked to a minimum of 145 degrees.

h) A final temperature of 152 degrees is widely accepted by leading charcuterie experts for various reasons, one of those reasons being to ensure that all parts of the meat are at least 145 degrees.

i) All of the above assumes safe food-handling and storage practices.