The first case of a pig with H1N1 virus has raised concern in the United States among consumers about the safety of eating pork.
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that at least one pig from Minnesota has tested positive for the virus.
 
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement that reaching out to U.S. trade partners and international organizations by USDA officials has begun to stress on the point that swine flu cannot be contracted by eating pork products.
 
Vilsack said, "We have fully engaged our trading partners to remind them ... that there is no scientific basis to restrict trade in pork and pork products. People cannot get this flu from eating pork or pork products. Pork is safe to eat".
 
The USDA also announced last week that it would test samples from three pigs at the Minnesota fair which showed potential positive tests for H1N1.
 
The officials said that there were no signs of sickness in the pigs. They said that the pigs most likely contracted the virus from the 1.8 million crowds during the fair. They added that the commercial herds are kept separately from show pigs so there no chance of them being infected.