Food Safety Focus (240th Issue, July 2026) – Article 3

Safe Cooking of Pig Liver to Prevent Hepatitis E

Consuming undercooked pig liver can transmit Hepatitis E, a viral infection causing fever, nausea, abdominal pain, and jaundice. While usually self-limiting, the disease poses severe, potentially fatal risks to individuals with pre-existing chronic liver disease.

To ensure food safety, proper cooking is essential. The practice of dropping raw pig liver slices into boiling congee or soup after turning off the heat is insufficient to kill the virus. Food handlers and consumers must keep the heat source turned on and cook sliced raw liver thoroughly, boiling or stir-frying for at least three to five minutes, depending on the thickness. To make thorough cooking easier to achieve, the liver should be cut into slices thinner than one centimeter. While the primary focus is on safe pork preparation, research suggests Hepatitis E can also be transmitted through contaminated shellfish, which must similarly be cooked thoroughly.

Ultimately, preventing foodborne illness requires strict adherence to good personal and food hygiene. To support this, the CFS has prepared guides on "Practise Food Hygiene to Prevent Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E" for the trade and consumers