# AI tells a user that sous-vide pork at 130°F for 4 hours is safe to eat because trichinosis is killed at 137°F

- **ID:** `food-safety/sous-vide-pork-trichinosis`
- **Domain:** food-safety
- **Category:** health_risk
- **Error Code:** `FS-PORK-SOUSVIDE-063`
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 88%

## Root Cause

USDA recommends pork be cooked to 145°F with a 3-minute rest, or sous-vide at 130°F for at least 6 hours to achieve 5-log reduction of Trichinella spiralis; 4 hours at 130°F is insufficient, and the AI incorrectly cites 137°F as the kill temperature without considering time.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| USDA Sous Vide Cooking Guidelines 2023 | active | — | — |
| FSIS Trichinella spiralis inactivation data 2022 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Advise user to follow USDA sous-vide time-temperature table: for pork, cook at 130°F for at least 6 hours, or at 140°F for at least 45 minutes, or at 145°F for at least 3 minutes. Provide a Python script to calculate hold time: `if temp == 130: time = 6; elif temp == 140: time = 0.75; elif temp == 145: time = 0.05`.** (88% success)
   ```
   Advise user to follow USDA sous-vide time-temperature table: for pork, cook at 130°F for at least 6 hours, or at 140°F for at least 45 minutes, or at 145°F for at least 3 minutes. Provide a Python script to calculate hold time: `if temp == 130: time = 6; elif temp == 140: time = 0.75; elif temp == 145: time = 0.05`.
   ```
2. **If user cannot wait 6 hours, recommend cooking pork to 145°F internal temperature with a 3-minute rest, which is safer and faster. Use a probe thermometer to verify.** (95% success)
   ```
   If user cannot wait 6 hours, recommend cooking pork to 145°F internal temperature with a 3-minute rest, which is safer and faster. Use a probe thermometer to verify.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **Tell user to increase the temperature to 137°F for 1 hour** — At 137°F, USDA requires at least 2.5 hours for a 5-log reduction of Trichinella; 1 hour is still insufficient. (75% fail)
- **Suggest using a higher wattage sous-vide circulator to heat faster** — The issue is time at target temperature, not heating rate; a faster circulator does not reduce the required hold time. (90% fail)
- **Recommend adding salt or vinegar to the pork to kill parasites** — Salt and vinegar do not kill Trichinella spiralis at typical concentrations used in sous-vide cooking; only heat is effective. (85% fail)