Not so! There is a grain of truth behind this myth but it is mostly based on misunderstanding and fear.
The Facts About Pork Safety
The long-held opinion that pork should be cooked at least to "well-done" is based on the possible transmission of the parasite trichinella spiralis, whose larva can be present in pork meat (also in wild game). Injesting the live parasite can lead to trichinosis, a potentially nasty and long-lasting condition. Proper cooking kills the parasite but there is no need to go to extremes. It's been known for a long time that the trichinella larvae are killed at temperatures considerably lower than required for well-done. Old habits die hard, however, and countless pork roasts and chops have been cooked to leathery toughness as a result.
Safe Cooking of Pork
Professional chefs and many home cooks have long known that pork with some pink remaining in the center is perfectly safe. The USDA has finally wised up and have changed the recommended internal temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160°f to 145°, with a 3-minute rest period after removing from the heat. Note that the 160°f temperature is still recommended for ground pork. Of course some pork is intentionally cooked to higher temperatures but for culinary reasons such as tenderness, not safety.
Fact is, the trichinella parasite is almost unheard of in commercially produced pork due to improved feeding and inspection. Cases of trichinosis in the US are rare, numbering in the low double-digits per year. And these cases are almost all from eating wild game, primarily bear. So cook that bear to well done, but for pork it is not necessary!
